§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what number of telephone installations have been granted by his Department to the housebound in the county of Nottinghamshire in the past year where a telephone is the only means of communication; what was the number provided by local authorities; and what steps he has taken to inform the public of the availability of such facilities.
§ Mr. AlisonNo telephones have been installed in the county during the past year by the Supplementary Benefits Commission, but the local authority installed 79 telephones between April 1972 and January 1973 and met the rental of 99.
It is the duty of each local authority to inform the public of the services it provides. My right hon. Friend has given general publicity to the kind of assistance available by the recent issue of "Help for Handicapped People" which has been very widely distributed. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.