§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on progress achieved by his Department in implementing the world plan of action on aging.
§ Mr. John PattenThe aims of the Vienna international plan of action on ageing are very close to those of our established policies as set down in the White Paper "Growing Older" (Cmnd. 8173) and in the handbook, "Care in Action", and no specific action to implement the plan is necessary. Arrangements have been made for copies to be distributed within Government Departments, to health and local authorities and to a number of voluntary and other organisations. I hope that awareness of the plan will help to widen understanding of the whole range of social and economic issues resulting from the ageing of the population.