§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions are being made to increase the level of funding for services for the mentally handicapped in the London Borough of Havering. [110693]
§ Jacqui SmithPeople with learning disabilities use both specialist and mainstream health and social services and benefit from increased expenditure on these. National Health Service expenditure is increasing by an average 7.5 per cent., per year over the next three years. Over the six years to 2002–03, funding to local councils for personal social services has increased by over 20 per cent., or 3 per cent. above inflation each year and will continue to increase over the next three years at around 6 per cent, above inflation; however, most
Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS)—medical and dental staff 1997 to 2001— England at 30 September Number1 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 All medical and dental staff of which: 66,836 68,458 70,000 71,688 73,846 Consultant of which hospital: 21,373 22,224 23,225 24,306 25,690 Hospital medical and dental staff of which: 62,048 63,871 65,796 67,561 70,022 Hospital consultant 20,766 21,607 22,596 23.625 24,994 1 Headcount Source:
Department of Health medical and dental work force census
230Wresources are allocated on an unhypothecated basis and it is for local councils to decide how much to allocate to learning disability services.
The proportion of the social services budget nationally spent on learning disability has increased from 7 per cent, in 1983 to 14 per cent. in 2001–02. Learning Disability Partnership Boards can have a role in influencing the way in which councils allocate resources.
On a like for like basis, the London Borough of Havering's social services resources increased by 10.1 per cent. in 2001–02 and by 6.4 per cent. in 2002–03. Our proposals for improving services for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers are set out in the White Paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century (Cm. 5086), published in March 2001. The White Paper announced two new funds to provide central support for key aspects of its programme; the Implementation Support Fund and the Learning Disability Development Fund.
On 1 April, we announced in Making Change Happen (HC514-11)1, the Government's annual report on learning disability, that the Implementation Support Fund would continue at £2.3 million for 2003–04 and at £2 million for 2004–05 and 2005–06. The fund is used mainly to support local advocacy projects and the Learning Disability Helpline. The £42.6 million Development Fund will continue to March 2004; priorities for the £20.6 million revenue element include modernising day centres, developing supported living approaches for people with learning disabilities living with older carers and supporting the wider introduction of person centred planning.
In 2002–03, Barking and Havering Health Authority was allocated £88,000 from the revenue element of the Development Fund in respect of the London Borough of Havering; the allocation to Havering Primary Care Trust for 2003–04 is £89,000.