§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary pensioners in each year
NUMBER OF SUPPLEMENTARY PENSIONERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE RETIREMENT PENSION Thousands November 1970 November 1971* November 1972 November 1973 November 1974 December 1975† Great Britain 156 103 102 97 96 92 England 127 84 81 80 77 75 Northern 10 7 10 8 7 6 Yorkshire and Humberside 10 8 8 6 7 6 East Midlands and East Anglia 12 7 8 6 7 8 London, North 16 12 9 11 10 10 London, South 22 14 11 14 14 12 London, West 17 13 9 10 10 11 South-Western 11 6 5 7 6 6 West Midlands 10 6 7 7 6 6 North-West (Manchester) 7 4 4 4 4 4 North-West (Merseyside) 12 7 10 8 6 6 Wales 11 7 10 7 8 6 Scotland 17 12 12 10 11 11 * The decrease in number between 1970 and 1971 was largely due to the inception of the old person's pension. † Provisional.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines have been given to the area authorities on the provision of day hospital places and available beds for mentally ill adults with particular reference to Bury and Radcliffe.
§ Dr. OwenThe Government's long-term strategy was published recently in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill" (Cmnd. 6233). The intention is to replace, at the pace resources allow, the present provision, which is still largely based on the mental hospitals, by a comprehensive network of local district-based services, provided by local as well as health authorities. The White Paper suggests provisional guidelines, including 65 day hospital places per 100,000 population and 50 in-patient beds per 100,000 population in district general hospital psychiatric departments. Progress towards the implementation of the new pattern of services in each region and area will also depend on local circumstances, including the state of development of existing services.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what measures she intends to take to ensure that area health authorities are allowed
826Wsince 1970 in Great Brtain, England, Scotland, Wales and the English regions did not receive retirement pensions.
§ Mr. MeacherThe information is as follows:
to retain the minimum standards of provision for mentally ill adults requiring day hospital places or hospital beds; and, in particular, what action is to be taken to assist the Bury Area Health Authority in this task;
(2) what action she intends to take to ensure that area health authorities are allowed to obtain minimum standards of provision of beds, day places and assessment unit places for psycho-geriatrics; and, in particular, what action is being taken to assist Bury Area Health Authority in this task.
§ Dr. OwenDuring the debate on the Adjournment on hospital facilities, North-West Region, on 12th May last year I informed the House of the efforts we were making to redress inequalities between regions and to direct proportionately more money into the relatively deprived regions. The White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill" (Command 6233), sets out the strategy for the improvement of services for the mentally ill and the elderly severely mentally infirm. As the White Paper explains, the rate of progress will depend largely on the availability of resources, and we shall be publishing shortly a consultative document which will indicate the level of 827W resources for the health and personal social services as a whole to 1979–80 and suggest priorities for expenditure.
On the basis of this strategy and guidance it will fall to the North-Western Regional Health Authority and the Bury Area Health Authority to decide how to deploy their resources.