§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he is giving to the suggestion submitted by him by the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospitals, that in certain cases his Department should make payments towards the travelling expenses of parents, since in their view parental visits can benefit the treatment of the child.
§ Sir K. JosephI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member 83W for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) on 24th October. The consultations with voluntary bodies to which I then referred have been completed and I shall shortly be issuing a circular about the role voluntary help can play in providing transport for visitors to hospital patients.—[Vol. 843, c. 230–1.]