Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (Hansard, 20 July 1973)

§ Sir K. Joseph

Since my reply to the hon. Member on 8th August 1972—[Vol. 842, c. 338–9.]—considerable progress has been made by local authorities in implementing Section 1 (1) of the Act. The following table summarises the latest position as revealed in the course of contacts between officers of my Department and individual authorities:

	Number of Authorities
Method of Implementation
1. House to house distribution of leaflets	69
2. Sample survey in accordance with Office of Population Censuses and Surveys guidance	37
3. Other sample surveys	32
4. Other methods	19
All authorities	157

In a substantial number of cases authorities have adopted more than one method of implementing Section 1 (1). Where this has occurred they have been included by reference to the principal method adopted. For the most part the leaflets used by authorities shown in line 1 contained slips to be returned by handicapped people seeking help. As regards the sample surveys shown at line 3, variations from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys guidance were for the most part in the size of the sample chosen or the method by which it was drawn. In a number of cases action reflected in the table is still in progress, especially where the programme of house-to-house distribution of leaflets is being phased over a period. In the case of authorities shown at line 4 of the table, the methods of implementation included one or more of the following—a comprehensive programme designed to bring together in the social services department information about handicapped people held, by other local authority departments, voluntary organisations, or general practitioners; pilot surveys in small areas; sustained 244W programmes of advertising by means of local Press, local radio, posters; and the wide distribution of leaflets designed to encourage those both needing and wanting services to apply for them.

In the case of a very few of the authorities in line 4, I am not satisfied from information at present available to me that action so far taken by them discharges their statutory duty to inform themselves of the numbers and needs of substantially and permanently handicapped people in their areas. My Department has accordingly written to these authorities asking them to reconsider the position with a view to taking further action.

The number of names included on local authorities' registers of physically handicapped people, excluding people suffering from visual or auditory handicaps, provides some indication of the progress being made in identifying those in need of help. Registration is, however, not a prerequisite to receiving help and for this and other reasons there is no doubt that many more handicapped people are known to local authorities than are registered. Returns showing the numbers registered by local authorities on 31st March 1973 are not yet complete but for 144 authorities the figure was 352,246, which represents an increase of approximately 30 per cent. over the figure for the same authorities for the preceding year. I intend in the next few months to issue further guidance to local authorities about registration procedure and related statistical matters.

With regard to the implementation of Section 1 (2) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, action has for the most part been linked with implementation of Section 1 (1) and it is not possible to report separately on it. I am satisfied that authorities generally have taken action under the subsection.

As regards Section 2 of the Act, I shall be publishing later in the year statistical information relating to types of help given, based on returns received from local authorities in respect of the year ending 31st March 1973.