HC Deb 12 May 1976 vol 911 cc446-8
15. Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest effects of public expenditure cuts on services for retirement pensioners and those in geriatric wards of hospitals in Scotland.

Mr. Harry Ewing

The Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 6393) makes provision for an increase of 2 per cent. per annum in real terms in local authority expenditure on social work services; I am sure that local authorities will take full account of the needs of the elderly in their budgets.

Similarly, health boards have been advised to give high priority to their services for the elderly within the 1½ per cent. growth rate for revenue expenditure on hospital and community services provided for in the White Paper.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

I thank the Minister for his reply. Is he aware that Councillor George Foulkes, the director of Age Concern in Edinburgh, has expressed grave concern that existing services to pensioners may deteriorate greatly as a result of the cuts? Does not the Minister agree that a great many Scotsmen in these circumstances would be delighted if the immensely expensive Community Land Act were postponed indefinitely?

Mr. Ewing

I will certainly make arrangements for the hon. Member to receive a copy of the reply which Councillor George Foulkes got to his letter. The expenditure on local authority social work services has increased at the rate of eight times that of other local authority services over the past five years, whereas in the health services the growth rate has decreased from 4½ per cent. to 1½ per cent. This is something of which a Government dealing with public expenditure have to be cognizant.

Mr. Buchan

Would my hon. Friend agree that while it is appropriate for those of us who reject the statutory line behind the public expenditure cuts it is gross hypocrisy for those who demand even more massive cuts to complain about them? Will he instruct the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) that education happens to be an aspect of public ownership and control?

Mr. Ewing

We are all politicians and we all agree that one of the advantages of being in Opposition is that it gives one the freedom to be totally irresponsible, and there is no greater expert on that than the Conservative Party.

Mr. Thompson

Will the Minister positively encourage the provision of more sheltered housing for the elderly?

Mr. Ewing

Yes, indeed I will.

Mr. Rifkind

How does the Minister justify to himself that there will be inadequate improvements in the position of the elderly in Scotland while at the same time the Government are insisting on the provision of hundreds of millions of pounds for the nationalisation of Scottish shipbuilding and Scottish aviation?

Mr. Ewing

This must be the day when there is a Press release about nationalisation from Conservative Central Office. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary responsible for the social services explained earlier, the standard of service being given to the elderly, particularly in the Strathclyde area, is now much better and much more efficient, even with fewer people working in it, than it has ever been. That is how the situation is justified.

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