§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average annual cost of caring for a person with learning difficulties in(a) the community (b) hospital.
§ Mr. RichardsIn 1992–93, local authorities in Wales spent a total of £80 million to support a total of 10,410 individuals with a learning disability living in the community, an average cost of £7,700 per individual. More recent information from local authorities is that the average revenue cost to them of an individual with a learning disability receiving accommodation in the community, including day services, is around £34,000 per annum.
In 1992–93, expenditure by health authorities on services for individuals with a learning disability was £61 million. This represents the cost of hospital care for some 1,058 individuals and all community health services.