§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision currently exists to fund carers looking after elderly or handicapped persons in the community who might otherwise require residential care; how many persons were assisted in each local authority by this means in 1983; and at what cost in each case.
§ Mr. John PattenI understand that some local authorities have arrangements for encouraging informal carers, which include payments to care in certain circumstances, but no information is held centrally about these schemes.