§ Mr. Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of elderly persons within the United Kingdom, living outside sheltered accommodation, are in touch with or receiving assistance from the social and welfare services at the latest convenient date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alec JonesInformation in the form requested is not available. In the 1970–71 general household survey it was estimated that in England and Wales some 10 per cent. of people over age 65 living in their own homes or in sheltered housing were using one or more of the following services: health visiting, home nursing, chiropody, home help, meals on wheels and social work.
It is the Government's policy to enable elderly people to live in their own homes for as long as possible, with the support of the domiciliary services where necessary. My Department is considering ways in which these services might be more effectively deployed in order to make the best use of the resources available.