Lord Campbell of Croyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether an estimate has yet been made of the number of mentally ill persons in Great Britain who will need treatment or care under the new Community Care system in the first year after local authorities, as distinct from health authorities, assume responsibilities for such care, under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, and receive the new specific grant relating solely to mental illness.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Baroness Hooper)It is for local authorities to assess the needs of mentally ill people in respect of social care and, in the light of available resources, to provide for those needs. The mental illness specific grant is paid to local authorities to assist in providing social care for patients subject to the Care Programme Approach (HC(90)23/LASSL(90)11) introduced on 1st April 1990. Copies are available in the Library.