Disabled People (Hansard, 23 January 1989)

§ 9. Mr. Wigley
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes to take to improve services for physically disabled people in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Grist
Wales has often taken the lead in the provision of services for the disabled. We will continue to consult with the main interested bodies over further developments.

§ Mr. Wigley
Is the Minister aware of the dismay at the length of time it has taken for the Welsh Office to respond to the representations made last July by the Welsh Council for the Disabled and the Spastics Society in Wales? I understand that it will be next month before a meeting takes place. Does he accept that the Welsh Office's planning statistics show that there has been a steady decline in expenditure by social service authorities on services for the physically handicapped over the past 12 years? What will he do to ensure a strategic approach that guarantees fair play for physically handicapped people in Wales?

§ Mr. Grist
I pay tribute to the discussion document to which the hon. Gentleman referred, to his part in it and to the activity behind it. We certainly take next month's meeting between these organisations and officials in my Department extremely seriously, and I hope that we shall be able to progress from there.
It is a little unfair to say that expenditure has been falling, as there has been an increase of about £3.5 billion in expenditure on the disabled under this Government—a 92 per cent. real increase since we came to office.

§ Mr. Geraint Howells
I am sure the Minister is aware that the people of mid-Wales have been trying to collect £400,000 to buy a scanner for Bronglais hospital in Aberystwyth during the past four months. Up to now we have exceeded £220,000 in that attempt. Does he have any plans to give us a contribution?

§ Mr. Grist
My wife is a member of the league of friends of Cardiff royal infirmary and she is doing her best for that hospital. I have visited Gwynedd and viewed its new scanner which, I believe, was opened today. There are voluntary movements all around Wales, which are a sign of the local spirit and of the local communities' support for their health authorities and their health movement. We should like to see a great deal more of that.