HC Deb 07 April 1975 vol 889 cc341-4W
Mr. John Garrett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the children who were taken into care by local authorities in 1974 came from single-parent families. current expenditure costs on which the increased charges for NHS pay beds are based

Dr. Owen

Since pay bed charges were determined for 1974–75 current costs have risen by about 43 per cent. because of increases in pay of NHS staff of about 50 per cent. and increases in the prices of goods and services of about 23 per cent. The remainder of the increases in charges represents additional funds being provided for improvements in health services in 1975–76 and an increase in the contribution to capital costs in hospitals other than long-stay hospitals from £10.50 to £16.00 a week.

Mr. Paul Dean

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the charges for NHS pay beds from 1st April 1975 and what increases these represent over the charges in 1974–75.

Dr. Owen

The information is as follows:

Dr. Owen

I regret that the information is not available.

Mr. Cordle

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will list all the persons and organisations which have made representations to her in support of the implementation of each of the several recommendations of the Finer Committee on Single Parent Families;

(2) if she will list all the persons and organisations which have made representations to her arguing against the implementation of each of the several recommendations of the Finer Committee on One Parent Families.

Mr. O'Malley, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20th March 1975; Vol. 888, c. 509], gave the following information

Since the Finer Report was published this Department has received about 1,000 letters on the position of one-parent families about one quarter of which were received with a covering letter from a Member of this House or of another place. Nearly all have been in favour of additional support for this group; only 10 specifically opposed any improvements. Less than 200 of the letters, however, referred even in general terms to the Finer Report itself and fewer still to specific recommendations. It is not practicable to list all the individuals concerned, but the organisations which have made representations are listed below. All of these were in favour of implementation of the report as a whole or of the guaranteed maintenance allowance in particular, though some had reservations on the means-testing aspect. Where other recommendations were specifically supported the recommendation number is listed against the organisation's name.

  • Finer Joint Action Committee: * Recommendations 4–25, 118, 120–124, 126, 127, 197–211.
  • National Council for One-Parent Families: Recommendations 121, 126.
  • Gingerbread (local groups): Recommendations 118, 120–126, 157, 197–211.
  • TUC: Recommendations 126, 197–211.
  • Women's National Commission.
  • National Council of Women of Great Britain: Recommendations 4–25, 121, 126.
  • British Association of Social Workers (including local branches): Recommendations 118, 120–214.
  • Post Office Engineering Union: Recommendations 126, 127.
  • Blackburn and District One-Parent Family Association.
  • Mother's Union: Recommendations 4–25, 118–127.
  • The Family Welfare Association.
  • Progressive League: Recommendation 126.
  • Rossedale and District One-parent Family Association: Recommendation 121.
  • Single Parent Association (Leicester): Recommendations 197–213.
  • London Borough of Greenwich.
    • 344
  • Minus One (Blackpool).
  • Radical Alternatives to Prison (Bristol Group).
  • Islington People's Rights.
  • Coventry Probation and Aftercare Voluntary Associates.
  • Edmonton Labour Party.
  • Southport Constituency Labour Party.
  • Norwich Labour Party and Industrial Council.
  • Tottenham Constituency Labour Party.
  • Sutton, Carshalton Constituency Labour Party, Women's Section.

* The members of the Finer Joint Action Committee are: Association of Directors of Social Services, British Association of Settlements, British Association of Social Workers-British Union of Family Organisations, Catholic Housing Aid Society, Child Poverty Action Group, Divorce Law Reform Union, Family Welfare Association, Family Service Units, Fawcett Society, Gingerbread, Mothers in Action, National Association of Mental Health, National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders. National Association of Mental Health, National Association of Widows. National Council for Divorced and Separated, National Council for One-Parent Families, Parents Without Partners, Scottish Council for Single Parents, Women's Aid.

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