§ Q1. Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government intend to implement in full the Disabled Persons (Services Consultation and Representation) Act which was given Royal Assent on 8 July 1986.
§ The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)It is hoped that sections 4, 8, 9 and 10 can be brought into operation by next April and section 11 during the course of 1987. However, the provisions of the Act, which have significant resource implications, can be brought into effect only as and when these resources can be provided.
§ Mr. ClarkeHow can the Prime Minister justify her Government's failure to introduce a single order or to set aside an extra penny for the implementation of this Act? Does she accept that people will not take lightly a decision to set aside the clearly expressed will of the House, to treat it with contempt and to do so in the knowledge that the needs of disabled persons and those who care for them are being sacrificed on the high altar of pre-election tax cuts?
§ The Prime MinisterDuring the passage of the Bill we consistently made it clear that it would be wrong to impose extra financial burdens on local and health authorities until sufficient resources were available. That remains the position. The Labour Government — [Interruption] —faced a similar difficulty after they had passed the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. When a Labour Government later came in they took no steps to provide local authorities with the resources to put the Act into effect. The hon. Gentleman says that we have not provided money. May I point out to him that increased spending on benefits for the long-term sick and disabled has gone up by about 75 per cent., allowing for inflation, to nearly £6 billion.
§ Mr. FavellReferring to the way in which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was dealt with by The Times this morning—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman should look at the Order Paper.
§ Mr. KinnockDoes the right hon. Lady not recall the Minister of State saying last July that he wanted to bring the provisions of this Act into effect in time to benefit disabled young people leaving full-time education in the summer of 1987, that is by the autumn of 1986? Given the fact that absolutely nothing relevant to this Act has been allocated in any of the rate support grant settlements, will the Prime Minister now tell us where she thinks that the extra money to implement those sections of the Act relating to school leavers is supposed to come from? In her refusal so far to honour her Government's commitments, is she not being mean and evasive with the disabled?
§ The Prime MinisterI have indicated the sections that we hope can be brought into operation by next April, with section 11 during the course of 1987. I have also indicated that, although we would all wish to do more, a former Labour Government — [Interruption] Of course, hon. Members do not like to hear this reply because it is true. A former Labour Goverment who passed the Chronically 157 Sick and Disabled Persons Act were also in a similar position. The last Labour Government did not, in five years of government—[interruption]—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is a rare definitive question on the Order Paper and I think that the whole House wants to hear the answer.
§ The Prime MinisterThe last Labour Government, during five years in office, did not take steps to provide local authorities with resources to put the Act into effect. If the right hon. Gentleman wishes me to give him the whole excellent record of this Government in giving extra help to the disabled I shall do so. We increased spending on benefits for the long-term sick and disabled by 75 per cent., after allowing for inflation, to nearly £6 billion. We have increased the real value of the mobility allowance and the new severe disablement allowance. The Opposition hate to hear that because it is true and shows us in a much better light than them.
§ Mr. KinnockThe sum of which we speak in relation to sections 5 and 6 of that Act and the disabled school leavers amounts, by the best calculations, to no more than £50 million. The right hon. Lady's lectures about the availability of resources comes ill from a Prime Minister who is allegedly contemplating a give-away of £3 billion in the Budget. While all the voluntary organisations concerned with the disabled welcome any progress made under any Government, why does the right hon. Lady not heed the view that they express about this Act when they say that if the Government do not move now the future of those young people leaving school in 1988 and 1989 will be seriously and adversely affected? That is not the voice of congratulation: it is the voice of justified suspicion. Why does the Prime Minister not listen to it and do her duty by the disabled, instead of dodging?
§ The Prime MinisterWe do not need any lectures from a former Labour supporter of the last Labour Government, who did not begin to do anything like as well for the disabled as we have done. The right hon. Gentleman's second point was about helping people into jobs. As far as the disabled are concerned—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ The Prime Minister—we have extended help through the Manpower Services Commission which has meant that last year over 77,000 people were placed in work or on the community programme. That is all help for the disabled.