HC Deb 12 May 1976 vol 911 cc448-9
16. Mr. Russell Johnston

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received representations from the Scottish Old People's Welfare Council (Age Concern, Scotland) about a deterioration in the domiciliary services for the elderly; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. McElhone

I will send the hon. Member a copy of the reply which my right hon. Friend has sent to the representations made by Age Concern, Scotland. The main point of that reply is that the rate support grant settlement for 1976–77 made sufficient provision for social work services to be maintained, but that decisions on the level of such services, including domiciliary services for the elderly, are for the social work authorities themselves in the light of their assessment of needs and priorities.

Mr. Johnston

Does not the Minister agree that it is alarming if the facts that Age Concern has are that the Government are arranging for the maintenance of the existing service but appear to establish that the total number of those aged over 75 will go up by about 18 per cent. in the period 1973 to 1981? Are these statistics, which Age Concern supplied, correct?

Mr. McElhone

I must put on record that Councillor Foulkes, who is a director of Age Concern, appreciates that the Government have a difficulty over constraint in public expenditure and he said so in the letter. Of course as a director of this particular organisation he is concerned. I will send the hon. Gentleman a copy of the letter, which indicates that compared with 1969 to 1970, when we spent £21 million on social services in Scotland, we spent £75 million between 1974 and 1975.