§ Mr. Topeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will grant authority under Section 45 of the Health Service and Public Health Act 1968 to any local council which wishes to provide cheap food to the elderly and poor within its boundaries.
§ Sir K. JosephLocal authorities are empowered to provide meals services to elderly people under this section together with a range of other services designed to promote the well-being of those most in need of help. Rather than extending the range to cover the provision by local authorities of cheap foodstuffs, I prefer the Government policy of an annual increase in benefit to provide elderly people with an increasing degree of choice.