HC Deb 31 January 1984 vol 53 cc132-3
14. Mr. Flannery

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are dependent on portable oxygen equipment being regularly supplied to their own homes.

Mr. John Patten

We have no information centrally on the number of people supplied with oxygen equipment which can easily be carried by the user. I understand that it is comparatively rare for such units to be supplied through the National Health Service.

Mr. Flannery

I am surprised that the Minister does not have the numbers. A very large number of people under the DHSS have had canisters delivered for years. They are very ill, and many of them are quite old. The new equipment, which they are all glad to have, now has to be plugged in, and results in their electricity bills rising on average £2 per week. Will he be kind enough to look into this and see that something is done to help them, because they are paying out new money which hitherto they did not have to pay.

Mr. Patten

We estimate that between 35,000 and 40,000 people are using such equipment in their homes, and most of them need rather large canisters and supplies. We are exploring the use of oxygen concentrators, which are now being examined by the Department. We hope that when a cost evaluation has been done we shall be able to make a further policy statement on this important matter.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

Given the number of people involved in the revelations in the past few weeks about the BOC contract with the National Health Service, would it not be wiser for the contract to be widened beyond the BOC stake to include all BOC's competitors? Is it not wrong that work carried out by BOC, which was sponsored by the DHSS, should have been made available only to that company and not to the many people interested in it?

Mr. Patten

That question has nothing to do with the supply of domiciliary gases for use in people's homes.