§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many written comments he received on(a) the White Paper "Working for Patients" and (b) the White Paper "Care in the Community", and how many of (a) and (b) were favourable to the proposals.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 18 December 1989]: More than 13,500 written comments have been received on the Government's proposals to improve the Health Service. Many ask questions, many support all or some of the proposals, some refer only to specific aspects. It is not possible to distinguish them in the way the hon. Member requests. We have also received a number of comments on the White Paper "Caring for People". These are generally favourable, but seek clarification on a
Table 1 Supplementary benefit (income support from April 1988) to people in independent residential care homes and nursing homes Expenditure £ million (current prices) Expenditure £ million (May 1988 prices)1 Number of claimants (000s) Number in residential care homes (000s) Number in nursing homes (000s) Average payment (£ per week current prices1) Average payment (£per week May 1988 prices) Proportion of residents receiving supplementary benefit percentage1 December 1979 10 18 12 2— 2— 16.0 33.1 14 December 1980 18 27 13 2— 2— 26.6 43.6 14 December 1981 23 31 13 2— 2— 34.0 50.5 13 December 1982 39 50 16 2— 2— 46.9 61.7 16 December 1983 104 127 26 2— 2— 76.9 92.9 23 December 1984 200 234 42 2— 2— 91.6 107.6 31 December 1985 348 385 70 55 15 95.6 105.8 44 February 1986 459 505 90 70 20 98.1 107.8 55 May 1987 671 699 117 85 32 110.3 115.0 53 May 1988 878 878 147 103 44 115.0 115.0 61 May 1989 1,105 1,020 176 119 57 120.7 111.5 2— 1 Estimated only—data on resident numbers are incomplete across all care groups. 2 Figures are not available. Note: Adjusted to constant prices on basis of RPI.
172Wnumber of points. The lengthy Labour party campaign produced the equivalent of about 300 postcards for each district health authority area.