Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (Hansard, 13 July 1981)

§ 1. Mr. Wigley
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the extent to which the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 are being carried out by local authorities in Wales.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Wyn Roberts)
I believe that the local authorities in Wales seek conscientiously to discharge their obligations under this Act.

§ Mr. Wigley
Is the Minister aware that the figures returned by county council social services departments show a disablement level in Wales of between 1.8 per cent. and 2.4 per cent., which compares with between 4 per cent. and 5½ per cent. for England and Northern Ireland, according to the survey undertaken by Outset? As attendance and mobility allowance payments are about twice as high in Wales as elsewhere, will the Minister get Outset to do a similar survey to show the true figures in Wales?

§ Mr. Roberts
I shall consider the point, but the hon. Gentleman will realise that the number of disabled people registered with local authorities in Wales doubled between 1974 and March 1980.

§ Mr. Ioan Evans
In this International Year of Disabled People will the Government consider what they can do to help instead of merely leaving it to local authorities which are suffering massive financial cutbacks? Will the Minister consider the effect of the expenditure cuts on services and facilities for the disabled?

§ Mr. Roberts
The Government, together with local authorities and voluntary bodies, are doing a great deal in this International Year of Disabled People. I acknowledge that local authorities have difficult decisions to make, but I remind the hon. Gentleman that expenditure on social services has increased in real terms over the past two years.

§ Dr. Roger Thomas
Does the Minister realise that many local authority social services departments do not have sufficient finances or staff to bring their disabled registers up to date, and that in many areas there is chronic under-funding for essential field work to discover the needs of new clients?

§ Mr. Roberts
I am not aware of any local authority approaching the Welsh Office requesting additional funds to carry out registration.