§ 34. Mr. Boscawenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the number of handicapped children who are boarded out by local authorities with foster parents who would qualify for the attendance allowance if they were with thier natural parents.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI regret that it is not possible to give a reliable estimate as it is not known how many of these children would satisfy the medical conditions for attendance allowance, but the number is likely to be very small, probably not more than 300.
§ 37. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the cost to central Government of paying attendance allowance for handicapped children who are boarded out by local authorities with foster parents.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI regret that it is not possible to give a reliable estimate 97W as it is not known how many of these children would satisfy the medical conditions for attendance allowance, but on a very broad basis that the numbers would be unlikely to exceed 300, the cost would not be more than £150,000 a year at current rates of benefit.
§ 40. Mr. Giles Shawasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information she has concerning the level of supplementary allowances paid by local authorities to foster parents of severely handicapped children.
§ Dr. OwenLocal authorities are free to determine their own rates of boarding out allowances, including extra allowances in recognition of the special expenses involved in caring for children with particular needs. There is considerable variation in the rates, and I regret that detailed information about them is not available.