HC Deb 24 July 1973 vol 860 cc550-1W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the local authorities in respect of which, on present information, he is not satisfied that action so far taken by them discharges their statutory duty under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to inform themselves of the numbers and needs of substantially and permanently handicapped people in their areas; and in what terms he has now written to these authorities about their statutory duty.

Sir K. Joseph

My Department has written to Gloucester and Halifax county boroughs and Cornwall and Wiltshire county councils and invited their social services committees to consider at their next meeting what further steps should be taken towards implementing the section.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that a single house-to-house distribution of leaflets is alone a sufficient discharge by local authorities of their statutory duty, under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, to inform themselves of the numbers and needs of substantially and permanently handicapped people in their areas; and if he will make a statement

Mr. Alison

It is for each local authority to determine what steps to take, and how quickly it can do so, in order to carry out its statutory duty under this section, but it appears to me open to doubt whether a single house-to-house distribution of leaflets could be regarded as discharging that duty.