§ Mr. Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied with the comparative sums available to Welsh counties and the method of financial provision for facilitating increased health care within the community.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe ways in which Health Service resources are provided to promote community care are under review following the issue of the consultation document "Care in the Community" in August 1981. The Government will announce their decision as soon as possible. The Welsh Office has already undertaken to provide an additional and cumulative £1.3 million per annum for five years starting in 1983–84 to enhance the community care for mentally handicapped people.
§ Mr. Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the scale and form of financial provision available for increased health care within the community.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe Welsh Office received a large number of comments on the consultation document "Care in the Community" which set out a number of suggestions for overcoming the present obstacles to the development of community care. Most of the responses stressed the need for the provision of additional resources; they also covered a wide range of opinions about the form the provision should take. In addition, the Welsh Office has recently been in correspondence with the Welsh branch of the Association of Directors of Social Services which had expressed concern at the present method of operation of the joint finance arrangements in Wales.