HC Deb 22 December 1971 vol 828 c339W
Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the general statutory criteria under which local authorities are empowered to make a grant towards the installation and/or rental of a telephone in the homes of disabled persons and/or retirement pensioners.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Facilities for the disabled are provided under Section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, which does not impose detailed criteria for the provision of telephones.

Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many disabled persons received financial help, from which local authorities, for the installation and rental, respectively, of telephones in 1971, 1970 and 1969, respectively; what percentage of these persons in each year were retirement pensioners; and what was the total cost per year.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

I regret that this information is not available centrally.