HC Deb 14 May 1985 vol 79 c158
3. Mr. Sedgemore

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the effect of housing problems on the demand for social services.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. John Patten)

There may be important connections between housing conditions and demands on the personal social services, but research has not so far established and quantified the various relationships.

Mr. Sedgemore

As bad housing is causing outbreaks of dysentery in some parts of the country, and in Hackney is placing such a strain on the health and social services departments that people are dying before their time, will the Minister plead with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to restore the cuts in the capital housing programme to prevent poisonous and deadly consequences?

Mr. Patten

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman should speak in such extravagant terms about the connection between dysentery and housing conditions and spread unnecessary alarm. I understand that there is anxiety in Hackney about housing conditions, and that the director of social services has produced an interesting report suggesting some connection between bad housing and the demands on social services. I ask the hon. Gentleman to produce some real results and statistics rather than unfounded general allegations.

Mr. Kennedy

When taking note of the relationship between demands on social services and housing conditions, will the Minister use all the means at his and his right hon. Friend's disposal to ensure that the Department of the Environment ploughs money into the housing programme at a time when the care in the community programme will offload more mentally ill people, in a welcome sense, back into the community? Does he agree that they will need housing and special services to achieve the objective of the programme?

Mr. Patten

Bad and inadequate housing conditions are taken into account when the personal social services element of the grant-related expenditure assessment is calculated.