§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give any changes that have been made in the targets set out in table 5 of the White 160W Paper, " Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped ".
§ Sir George YoungNo changes have been made to any of the planning figures in Table 5 which fall within the Department's responsibility. However, the Department has been reviewing progress since the White Paper and considering, among other things, whether any such changes are required.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the date fixed for each area after which hospitals were not asked to admit mentally-handicapped (a) adults and (b) children who needed residential care.
§ Sir George YoungIt is for local authorities to set such dates in consultation with health authorities and information on the extent to which they have done so is not available centrally. However, such information as I have suggests that very few children are now being admitted to mental handicap hospitals for long-term care.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of places for mentally-handicapped adults in hospitals for day patients for (a) treatment and (b) occupation and training.
§ Sir George YoungIn mental handicap units specifically designated for day care there were 745 places for adults and children on 31 December 1978, but this figure excludes day places in other parts of the hospital service about which information is not collected centrally.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of residential care places for mentally-handicapped adults in (a) local authority, voluntary or privately-owned residential homes, and (b) foster homes, lodgings, etc.; and which local authorities (i) have no direct residential places and (ii) have not yet met the 1971 guideline figures.
§ Sir George YoungInformation on residential accommodation for mentally handicapped adults is contained in the DHSS publication " Homes and Hostels for the Mentally 111 and Mentally Handicapped at 31 March 1978 " which is in 161W the Library of the House. The 1980 edition of this publication containing the figures for 31 March 1979 will be placed in the Library by the end of this month.
The 1971 White Paper " Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" suggested guidelines of provision to be achieved nationally by the early 1990s, and I would, therefore, not expect local authorities to have achieved them yet. On 31 March 1979 none had done so.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of occupation and training places for mentally handicapped adults (a) for adults living in the community and (b) for adults coming by day from hospital; and which authorities have not yet reached the 1971 guideline figures.
§ Sir George YoungOn 31 March 1979, there were 41,614 places for the mentally handicapped in adult training centres in England. I regret that information in the form requested is not collected centrally.
The 1971 guidelines suggested provision to be achieved nationally by the early 1990s, and I would not expect local authorities to have reached these figures yet. None had done so at the end of March 1979, the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the provision of hospital and community services for mentally-handicapped adults, listing the steps which he is taking to improve them.
§ Sir George YoungI refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 13 May.—[Vol. 984, c.465.]