§ 57. Mr. Corbynasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the effect of rate capping and penalties on personal social services.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeOnly 10 high spending local authorities with responsibilities for personal social services have been designated for rates limitation in 1985–86. These authorities are all spending relatively more than other authorities providing a good standard of service, and they have scope for making the economies required of them without putting essential services at risk.
Abatement of block grant is applied only when authorities exceed the expenditure guidance set them. Many authorities have shown that it is possible to meet, or come very close to, that expenditure guidance while maintaining essential social services.
The controls are on total spending by each authority, and the authorities themselves will continue to decide relative priorities between their various services.
§ 60. Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has estimated the increase in demand for personal social services caused by increasing unemployment.
§ Mr. John PattenIt is for individual local authorities to make their own assessments of the demands for personal social services and to determine their priorities accordingly.