§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will obtain and publish the number of handicapped persons in each category on the register of each local authority in England.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe preparation of tables covering the year ending 31st March 1974 is not yet complete, but they will be sent to my hon. Friend before the682W end of the month at the same time that copies are placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the annual increase in numbers of the very severely handicapped, the severely handicapped and the appreciably handicapped, respectively; what is her estimate of the numbers in each category in 1974, 1980, 1990, and 2000, respectively; what proportion of the population these figures represent for each year; and how these figures are affecting her policies for community care.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisBased on the incidence and definition of handicap in the report of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain" published in 1971, it is estimated that the mid-1974 population aged 16 or over living at home is:
Very severely handicapped … … 170,000 Severely handicapped … … 380,000 Appreciably handicapped … … 660,000 Comparable statistics for those living in residential accommodation are not available.
The factors affecting the incidence of handicap are complex, and it is not possible to make reliable estimates for the future years referred to. It is my policy systematically to build up services as resources permit.