HC Deb 19 July 1977 vol 935 cc441-2W
Mr. Moonman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to enable him to assume responsibility for the provision of services to the severely mentally ill and mentally handicapped and also to the physically ill and physically handicapped and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ennals

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 25th May 1976.—[Vol. 912, c. 117–18.]

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the working of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

Mr. Alfred Morris

I fully share my hon. Friend's constant concern to ensure the full and humane implementation of the Act in all localities. My consideration of its implementation is ongoing, but there is nothing I can add at this stage to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Bugden) on 21st June.—[Vol. 933, c. 1087–8.]

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his best estimate of the total amount of public spending since 1970 that relates in any way directly or indirectly to the provisions of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, taking all sections of the Act into account; whether any ceiling is imposed by the Government on expenditure on services provided under Section 2 of the Act; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alfred Morris

The expenditure relating directly or indirectly to the provisions of the Act that can be readily identified in my Department is that by local authority social services departments for day centres, adaptations to homes, aids, telephones and holidays for the handicapped. The total net expenditure on these services in England, from 1972–73—the first year for which such figures are available—until 1975–76 was about £70 million—£105 million at November 1976 prices, assuming inflation at the same rate as for the personal social services as a whole. Total net expenditure during the same period on home helps, meals on wheels and day centres and clubs for multi-purpose use, of which both disabled and elderly people are the main beneficiaries, was about £320 million —£485 million at November 1976 prices. The figures include loan charges and an estimated amount for administrative costs.

Although the totality of local authority expenditure is subject to the constraints of the Government's economic policy, my hon. Friend can be assured that no ceiling is imposed by the Government on expenditure on services provided under section 2 of the Act. Indeed, I have emphasised this publicly on a number of occasions.

As my hon. Friend is aware, the Act is one of 29 sections. Many Departments of State are involved in the implementation of their provisions and it is virtually impossible to make any precise estimate of the total cost.