Physically Handicapped People

HC Deb 22 May 1990 vol 173 cc115-6W

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, in current money equivalent terms, the spending by social services departments in Wales on services for registered physically handicapped people during 1988–89 and for each of the previous 10 years, together with the number of such people who were beneficiaries of these services in each year and the corresponding average spending per assisted case.

Mr. Grist

The information available on spending is given in the tables:

Local authority expenditure on physically disabled1
	£ million at 1988–89 prices
1978–79	4.7
1979–80	4.4
1980–81	4.2
1981–82	4.1
1982–83	4.0
1983–84	4.8

	£ million at 1988–89 prices
1984–85	2—
1985–86	3.8
1986–87	4.1
1987–88	34.6
1988–89	34.8
1 Excludes expenditure on day care. Data for 1978–79 and 1986–87 are estimated from outturn information shown in the Local Authority Social Services Planning Statements for Wales. These figures may include some expenditure on the elderly.
2 Not available.
3 Information for 1987–88 and 1988–89 was collected on a different basis and is not strictly comparable with earlier years.

Information relating to the receipt of services provided by social services departments is as follows:

	Number of residents under the age of 65 supported by local authorities1 2	Cases of assistance provided by Social Services Departments 3 4
1979	720	28,707
1980	689	28,418
1981	634	25,293
1982	630	26,920
1983	583	31,290
1984	599	41,659
1985	548	39,312
1986	417	42,423
1987	416	44,510
1988	404	45,285
1989	418	47,730
1 In local authority, private and voluntary homes. Some of these residents may not be physically disabled.
2 As at 31 March.
3 Telephone rentals, personal equipment, adaptations to property, holidays etc. Information given relates to cases as opposed to beneficiaries (an individual beneficiary may receive more than one case of assistance). Figures quoted include all age groups and relate to assistance provided to both physically disabled people and other client groups.
4 Year ending 31 March.

It is not statistically meaningful to calculate average spending per assisted case because of the differing natures of the various services provided. These services vary from smaller forms of assistance, such as the provision of personal aids, through to the long-term support in residential care.