HC Deb 30 July 1974 vol 878 cc179-81W
Mr. David Price

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many capital schemes, and to what total cash value, she has approved for the Wessex Region in 1974–75 under the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.

Dr. Owen

In the No. 10 Children's Regional Planning Area, final approval has been given to four projects—estimated cost £126,825—and local authorities have been advised of four further projects—estimated cost £141,200—for which final approval may be expected in 1974–75, if resources permit, and otherwise in 1975–76.

Mr. David Price

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated shortfall in residential places for children and young persons in the Wessex Region under the Children and Young Persons Act 1969; consequently, how many such children and young persons will have to be sent to penal establishments; and what steps is she taking to remedy the situation.

Dr. Owen

According to the Regional Plan for No. 10 Children's Planning Area comprising the counties of Dorset, Hamp-showing

the percentage of patients without easy access to a pharmacist, as indicated by the payment of dispensing capitation fees to their general practitioners in each of the regional health authority areas for each of the five years.

Dr. Owen

The table gives the percentages of patients for whom drugs were dispensed in the five years 1969–1973. I have assumed the hon. Member wishes to have figures for patients of all dispensing doctors and not only those of the minority paid by capitation fees. Figures for regional health authority areas are not available so I have given those for standard regions.

shire, Wiltshire, and the Isle of Wight it is estimated that the number of children and young persons of all ages in the care of the relevant authorities whom the authorities would wish to place in community homes exceeds by about 200 the number of places at present available.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that Home Office statistics are not kept in such form as to show how many of the persons aged over 14 and under 17 committed to Prison Department establishments would have been the responsibility of those particular authorities had they been committed to care. I share the hon. Member's desire to keep these young people out of Prison Department establishments, and whenever possible I give priority to this objective in considering local authorities' building proposals. But the number of secure places needed is, on any reckoning, considerable; given the limitations on capital investment in the public sector and the competing claims upon it—such as the provision of more places for those who would not be committed to Prison Department establishments—progress is bound to be slower than the local authorities and the Government would wish.

However, the regional planning committee has already two projects in view which may contribute to this objective. One is to provide, in conjunction with the RPC for Area No. 9—South-East—a secure unit for up to 40 boys. The other, a secure unit with 10 places at an observation and assessment centre for boys, is sufficiently far advanced to be considered for inclusion in the lists, at present being prepared by the Department, of projects on which further preliminary work may usefully proceed with a view to their receiving final approval, if resources permit, in 1975–76 or as soon as possible thereafter.

I am holding a conference of representatives of regional planning committees today.