§ Mr. Clemitsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration has been given by his Department to helping to provide non-hospital accommodation for young adults who are both deaf and blind; and if he will make a general statement on help for young adults who are handicapped in this way.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI am keenly aware of the special problems faced by this group of very severely disabled young people, and for some time I have been maintaining close contact with the voluntary bodies concerned. My Department has arranged to meet the Royal National Institute for the Deaf shortly to discuss a proposal submitted by the RNID for the establishment of a pilot unit for, say, 12 deaf/blind youngsters.
There are difficult problems over providing accommodation, because of the high per capita costs involved, but I 146W intend that the meeting shall be followed by further initiatives. Meanwhile, I have given the National Association of Deaf/Blind and Rubella Handicapped an annual grant of £4,000 a year to assist it in its fund-raising efforts.