§ Mr. Fosterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to establish machinery more effectively to identify disabled people to facilitate the most cost-effective distribution of social services resources.
§ Mr. PrenticeIdentification of disabled people ordinarily resident in their308W areas is a matter for individual local authorities who well appreciate the need to ensure that resources are used in as cost-effective a way as possible.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if paragraph 16 of the Department of Health and Social Services circular 53/71 which stipulates that attendance allowance is to be disregarded in assessing the means of persons receiving the home help service is still Government policy; if the provision for this disregard applies equally to other services provided for elderly and disabled people in their homes such as the installation of telephones, payment of telephone rental and provision of aids and adaptations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PrenticeIt is for individual local authorities to determine whether to impose charges—if any—for the home help service or the other services to which the right hon. Member refers and also the circumstances in which such charges might be waived. In deciding whether to charge for the home help service, local authorities are required by statute to take account of the means of those availing themselves of the service.