HC Deb 06 July 1976 vol 914 cc512-6W
Mr. Fitt

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many telephones were supplied to disabled or elderly people in Northern Ireland by each area health board in each of the last five years; what rate per 1,000 population each figure represents; and what were the total figures and rates in Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year;

(2) if he will list those sections of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 which extend to Northern Ireland;

(3) what action has been taken by the area health boards in Northern Ireland to identify the needs and numbers of disabled people in the Province;

(4) if he is satisfied that disabled people in Northern Ireland are adequately informed of the services available to them; and if he will make a statement;

(5) what information concerning the services available to disabled people in Northern Ireland has been published by each area health board; and what action they have taken to ensure that the information reaches those for whom it is intended;

(6) what is his estimate of the number of disabled people in Northern Ireland, including children, living in the community in Northern Ireland; and if he will break the figures down in the same categories used by Amelia Harris in her report Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain;

(7) what is his estimate of the number of physically handicapped children and adults respectively, living in long-stay hospitals and residential homes, respectively;

(8) what is his estimate of the number of handicapped people under the age of 65 years who are accommodated either in a residential home or in a hospital which is normally used wholly or mainly for the care of elderly persons; what action he is taking to reduce the number; and if he will make a statement;

(9) how many meals were provided (a) in the home and (b) in day centres for elderly and disabled people by each area health board in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; what rate these figures represent per 1,000 population per day; what were the total figures and rates in Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year; what action he is taking to improve the service; and if he will make a statement;

(10) how many holidays have been provided for elderly and handicapped people by each area health board in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; what rate each figure represents per 1,000 population; what were the total figures and rates in Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year; and if he will make a statement;

(11) how many adaptations have been arranged in the homes of disabled people by each area health board in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; what rate each figure represents per 1,000 population; what were the total figures and rates in Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year; and if he will make a statement;

(12) how many aids have been supplied to elderly and disabled people by each area health board in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; what rate each figure represents per 1,000 population; what were the total figures and rates for Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year; and if he will make a statement;

(13) how many home helps were employed by each area health board in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; what rate each figure represents per 1,000 population; what were the total figures in Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year; if he is satisfied that elderly and disabled people are receiving the assistance in the home that they require; and if he will make a statement;

(14) if he is satisfied that the needs of disabled people in Northern Ireland are both being identified and met, as is required by law in the rest of the United Kingdom;

(15) if any area health board in Northern Ireland does not include a disabled member; and if he will appoint such a member to any which does not;

(16) what action he has taken to ensure that all new designs for buildings to which the public will be admitted include in the means of access both to and within the building or premises and in the parking facilities and sanitary conveniences, adequate provision for the needs of disabled people;

(17) how many disabled people were registered in each class in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; how many disabled people were newly entered on the register in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;

(18) what arrangements are made for the education of children who suffer from autism or other forms of early childhood psychosis in Northern Ireland; how many such children he estimates there are in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

(19) what arrangements are made for the education of children in Northern Ireland who suffer from specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia; how many such children he estimates there are in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

(20) what arrangements are made in Northern Ireland for the education of children who are both deaf and blind; how many such children he estimates there are in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

(21) what action he has taken to ensure that no school, college or university designed or completed in the last five years has failed to provide adequate facilities for the needs of pupils or teachers who are disabled; and what action he intends to take to improve the access and facilities for disabled people in educational establishments in Northern Ireland;

(22) if he will list all the advisory committees reporting to him in Northern Ireland; which committees include a disabled member; if he will encourage those which do not to co-opt a disabled member if they have the power to do so or, if appropriate, appoint one himself; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Concannon

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Fitt

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice he has given to area health boards in Northern Ireland concerning the identification of the needs and numbers of disabled people in the Province.

Mr. Concannon

In a planning paper issued in 1974, the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services advised health and social services boards that they should supplement the information available from their handicapped registers and their existing knowledge by drawing on any other source to which they have access and by carrying out local sample surveys to build up an assessment of the total number of physically handicapped persons, the nature of their handicap and the need for services.

Mr. Fitt

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of mentally handicapped children and adults, respectively, living in subnormality hospitals and residential homes, respectively.

Mr. Concannon

The latest available figures are as follows: 324 children under 16 and 1,146 adults in hospitals for the mentally handicapped; 392 mentally handicapped adults in psychiatric hospitals. There are 52 mentally handicapped children and 242 mentally handicapped adults in statutory and voluntary residential homes.

Mr. Fitt

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much special housing for disabled people has been provided by the public sector in each of the last five years; what rate each figure represents per 1,000 population; what were the total figures and rates for Northern Ireland and England, respectively, in each year; what action he is taking to increase the supply of suitable accommodation for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Concannon

Information in the form requested is not available. However, since the inception of the Housing Executive in 1971 approximately 1,500 dwellings have been specially provided for disabled persons. These include mobility, wheelchair and sheltered houses together with adaptations to existing dwellings and represent provision at the rate of approximately one dwelling per 1,000 of the population.

The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment, the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services, and the Housing Executive are at present considering what additional steps need to be taken to deal with the special housing needs of the disabled.

Figures and rates of provision in England are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

Mr. Fitt

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what parking concessions are available to disabled people in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Concannon

In Northern Ireland two schemes are operated to assist disabled drivers with parking; one in Belfast by the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment, and the other throughout Northern Ireland by the health and social services boards. Under these schemes badges or certificates are issued to disabled drivers to assist them to park in most areas where waiting restrictions are in force. Existing security restrictions on parking in urban areas inevitably limit the scope of these concessions, but I am considering whether to seek for Northern Ireland more extensive powers similar to those available in Great Britain under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967.