Elderly People (Hansard, 27 June 1988)

§ 5. Mrs. Clwyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the funding of research programmes on the elderly in Wales.

§ 20. Mr. Ron Davies
To ask the Secretary of state for Wales what representations he has received concerning the withdrawal of funding for the University of Wales's research team for the care of the eldery; and if he will make a statement.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Ian Grist)
Several representations have been received about the withdrawl of funding for the University of Wales' research team for care of the elderly.
It is standard practice for the work of such units to be reviewed regularly, and a recent exercise was carried out by a team of independent experts led by the DHSS chief scientist. As the present contract for the unit was due to end in January 1989, it was decided that the time would be 4 opportune to reorientate the clinical and Health Service-related research effort in this field of study by making other more beneficial and cost-effective arrangements. Current spending on research into care of the elderly in England and Wales is about £400,000, of which about half is spent in Wales.

§ Mrs. Clwyd
Does the Minister agree that by the year 2000 there will be over double the number of 85-year-olds in the community, and that they are by far the greatest users of health and social services? Is this not a case of cutting off of one's nose to spite one's face, since the unit in Cardiff was especially expert in looking at ways of keeping elderly people in the community rather than paying a great deal of public money to keep them in private residential homes? Is this not yet another penny-pinching and mean exercise by the Welsh Office?

§ Mr. Grist
I think that the hon. Lady is confusing research in this field with the sort of action that we are taking under the elderly initiative. I remind her that the research is not finished, because the Welsh Office is funding the esearch unit at the University College of North Wales in Bangor, which is excellently directed by Dr. Gordon Grant.

§ Mr. Davies
Does not this matter graphically illustrate the differences between the Secretary of State's promises and the actions of his Department? Less than a fortnight ago he promised new initiatives to help tackle the problems of the elderly in the valleys, but now we have a decision which effectively means withdrawing support from the body that is charged with identifying those needs. How can the needs be met if the means to identify them are not available?

§ Mr. Grist
I think that the hon. Gentleman misunderstood my answer. The money involved remains in Wales and it is for the Welsh Office to find a more beneficial and efficient use for it. I should have thought that the more efficient use of money for the elderly would be welcomed by all hon. Members.