§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost to an average family of looking after a mentally handicapped person from the age of two years to 40 years.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation on which to base or verify such an estimate is not collected centrally. An estimate of £119,880 has been made in a recent study* published by the Disablement Income Group. This was based on a very small sample, not claimed by it to be representative, which included a wide range of severity of handicap and of dependency.
*"Mental Handicap Costs More" by Judith Buckle, published by the Disablement Income Group, 1984; Price £3.50.