§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing(a) the allocations made to local authorities as mental health specific grant in each year since 1985 in cash and constant terms and (b) the proportion of these allocations to projects helping people with dementia; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartThe information required is not currently available, but I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce policies which will impact upon the provision of respite care in hospitals for 1023W people with dementia; what operational aspects of this provision are and will be subjected to compulsory competitive tendering; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartI shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to improve information collection systems in health services and local authorities so that accurate statistics can be collected on the numbers of people with dementia who receive services.
§ Mr. StewartAccurate statistics on those people with dementia receiving hospital treatment are already available.
A multi-disciplinary standing group on community care information requirements is currently being established by social work services group to ensure that local social work, health and housing information systems yield a common minimum set of data for use at local and national level. The group will consist of representatives of policy and statistical interests from social work, health and housing branches in the Scottish Office, and representatives from local authority social work, local authority housing and Scottish Homes and health boards.
At local level these matters are being addressed through joint planning mechanisms.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the results of arrangements to monitor the priority that dementia services are given in health board expenditure; how these compare with the recommendations contained in the SHARPEN report of 1988; and what plans he has to change these arrangements;
(2) if he will list those health boards and local authorities which have treated dementia as a separate special needs category in their community care plans; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what duties and responsibilities Scottish health boards have in relation to the development of preventative services in the community for people with dementia ; how these are co-ordinated with other agencies; what plans he has to improve joint planning arrangements with agencies including local government; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what plans he has to increase the level of privatisation of long-term care for people with dementia; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartI shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.