§ 21. Dr. Dickson Mabonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many disabled people in Scotland have been registered under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Act 1972.
§ Mr. MonroAt the end of 1971, the latest date for which complete information is available, 28,800 disabled persons were receiving social work services from local authorities. Registration is not a statutory requirement.
§ Dr. MabonFollowing the passage last year of the Act which received support in all parts of the House, was it not the intention of the Government to secure this in effect even though it was not formal statutory registration? What circulars have been or are to be issued following the Act to encourage directors in social work to take the steps which are already taken in England and Wales?
§ Mr. MonroThere were two important circulars, one of which was issued in April last year, before the Bill was enacted. I agree that it was an important Bill. It was put through the House with the help of my right hon. Friend. This matter was spelt out again in much greater detail by the circular in September 1972. Substantial progress is being made now, and the welcome publicity from the Act and from the booklet which the Scottish Office will publish next week, "Help for the Handicapped People in Scotland", will help to bring this service to as many disabled people as possible.
§ Mr. McElhoneThese figures are very disturbing indeed. We heard recently from the Secretary of State that the total of permanently disabled people in Scotland 1285 was 108,000, yet only 20,000 have registered according to the Minister's statement today. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that many local authorities in Scotland are paying scant attention to the circulars coming from St. Andrew's House? What action is he prepared to take towards these local authorities which are not complying with Sections 1 and 2 of the Act, thus causing unnecessary suffering to many disabled people in Scotland?
§ Mr. MonroI hope that when the 1972 figures are available—they can become available only when local authorities supply them to me—they will show a substantial increase in the number of people who are recorded. But with the publicity that the House is giving to this matter today, and through the powerful work of the Social Work Services Group in Scotland, I hope that we shall get a much larger number of disabled people within the ambit of the social work service so that they can receive all the benefits to which they are entitled.