§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what statistical or other evidence he has about the extent to which increases in long-term unemployment divert expenditure and resources of local authority social services departments from their planned patterns of work; and whether his Department issues any guidance to local authorities about their allocation of resources.
§ Mr. John PattenLocal studies have been undertaken by some local authorities on the association between long-term unemployment and applications and referrals to their social services department. Work has also been done on the psychological and other effects of unemployment and on its impact on families, and work is now being undertaken for the Health Education Council on its implications for some health and social services.
It is up to local authorities to decide their own priorities according to local circumstances, including unemployment, and recognising the need to keep their total expenditure within sensible limits.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence he has about the extent to which the growth in local authorities' expenditure on personal social services has conformed to the target of a 2 per cent. rate of growth.
§ Mr. John PattenThere are no targets for local authority expenditure on the personal social services. The Government give guidance to local authorities on their total expenditure: it is for authorities to determine their own priorities for expenditure on individual services within that guidance. Demographic and similar pressures are estimated to absorb around 2 per cent. of total current spending on the personal social services each year. Local authority budgets for 1983–84 showed aggregate spending on personal social services at about 12½ per cent. in volume terms above the level five years ago in 1978–79.