§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether people in those areas where the local authority supplies a free laundry service for incontinence, et cetera, will continue to receive such a service after the reorganisation in 1974.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is considering what regulations, if any, to propose for the making and recovery of charges in respect of services to be provided under Section 2 of the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973. Laundry services currently being provided by social service departments of local authorities will continue to be subject to charges or not at the discretion of the local authority.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply, which goes a long way to calm the anxiety that I have felt.