§ 31. Mr. A. Edward Daviesasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the inadequacy of the residential accommodation for aged persons in need of care and attention in Stoke-on-Trent; and whether he will help the local authority to extend its present limited facilities and to carry out the provisions of the National Assistance Act, 1948.
§ Mr. CrookshankI am aware that here, as in other places, there is a shortage of such accommodation. As soon as building resources allow, I will do all I can to help the provision of additional accommodation by the local authority.
§ Mr. DaviesAs this application has been turned down on the grounds of shortage of steel, and as there is some hope of getting increased supplies towards the latter part of this year, may we expect a favourable reply when those supplies come to hand?
§ Mr. CrookshankWe shall have to see what happens then, but at present the allocation of steel for purposes of this kind is almost wholly for maintenance work.
§ Dr. StrossWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind one important point, that if accommodation is not found for these aged and sick folk in this way they tend to find their way into local hospitals, which is very much more expensive and is the responsibility of the Minister?
§ 32. Mr. Edward Daviesasked the Minister of Health to what extent the shortage of steel is holding up work designed to provide extra accommodation for aged and sick persons, as required under the National Assistance Act, 1948.
§ Mr. CrookshankThe shortage of steel has had the inevitable effect of delaying work on a considerable number of schemes for providing accommodation under the National Assistance Acts.
§ Mr. DaviesWill the Minister satisfy himself that some other arrangement cannot be made in the case I cited about Stoke? It is only a modest amount of steel required to reinforce the concrete bases owing to mining subsidence—does the right hon. Gentleman understand the position?
§ Mr. CrookshankYes, but I am afraid the steel is just not available for this purpose now, and no one regrets it more than I do.
§ Mr. A. BlenkinsopIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the amount of steel required is very small both for the structure and also for radiators and things of that sort, and that it will be very much less than if he has to provide accommodation for old people elsewhere?