§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will provide funds for local authorities to employ more trained paramedical staff for the care in the community programme; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he gives financial help to local authorities who wish to provide telephone installation costs to elderly persons living alone.
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§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 11 December 1987]: Local authority personal social services are funded mainly by local rates, income from fees and charges and central Government block grant via the rate support grant system. Block grant is not tied to specific services and it is for local authorities themselves to decide how to spend their resources in the light of local circumstances, needs and plans.
Expenditure by local authorities on telephone installations for elderly and disabled people was £7£364 million in 1985–86, a real terms increase of 8£6 per cent. over the amount spent in 1978–79. Separate information is not collected about expenditure on paramedical staff.