§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many telephones were supplied to disabled or elderly people in Northern Ireland by each area health board in each of the last five 152W 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.
§ Mr. Concannonpursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th July 1976; Vol. 914, c. 512], gave the following information:
A scheme for assisting with the provision of telephones for persons who satisfy certain uniform criteria was not introduced in Northern Ireland until 1973. In the year ended 31st December 1974, which was the first full year of operation of the scheme, health and social services boards assisted with telephone installations as follows:
Health and Social Services Board Number of telephones installed Rate per 1,000 population Eastern … 27 0.04 Northern … 17 0.05 Southern … 8 0.03 Western … 18 0.07 Northern Ireland … 70 0.04 Information on the provision of telephones by local authorities in England is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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".
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th July 1976; Vol. 914, c. 512], gave the following answer:
The information in the form requested is not available. However, at 31st December 1974 the social services departments at the health and social services boards were in contact with 13,298 physically handicapped persons; I would also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his Question about the number of disabled people registered in Northern Ireland. While it is not possible to break figures down into the categories used in the report "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain", the Northern Ireland 153W Department of Health and Social Services is considering the possibility of introducing a system of record keeping based broadly on that form of classification.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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
Nature of Disability 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 Amputation 644 640 613 594 589 Arthritis and rheumatism 725 683 644 601 600 Diseases of the digestive system 738 712 644 584 556 Diseases of the genito-urinary system 160 162 146 143 137 Diseases of the respiratory system (other than TB) 1,002 934 884 879 842 Diseases of the heart and circulatory system 1,744 1,657 1,542 1,479 1,460 Diseases of the skin and cellular tissue 181 184 176 177 189 Ear defects (deaf and hard of hearing) 738 701 694 658 639 Blind persons 145 150 138 140 145 Partially sighted persons 927 897 889 822 783 Injuries of the head, face, neck, thorax, abdomen, trunk, pelvis 545 532 519 493 493 Diseases and deformities of the lower limbs 1,998 1,872 1,808 1,742 1,702 Diseases and deformities of the upper limbs 1,748 1,654 1,601 1,521 1,538 Injuries, diseases and deformities of the spine 1,189 1,177 1,163 1,146 1,135 Mental disorders 946 910 889 839 835 Organic nervous diseases 879 877 828 838 798 Tuberculosis (pulmonary) 494 444 408 371 344 Tuberculosis (non-pulmonary) 156 136 114 107 106 Other general diseases and injuries 573 547 536 508 488 15,532 14,869 14,236 13,642 13,379 The following disabled persons were newly entered on the register in each of the last five years in Northern Ireland:
Year Ending No. of Persons 30th September 1971 … … 2,012 30th September 1972 … … 1,600 154W
1970 1971 1972 1973 Visually impaired … … 3,226 3,185 3,379 3,270 Hearing impaired … … 1,455 1,377 1,356 1,325 General classes … … 8,052 8,704 8,671 8,827 12,733 13,266 13,406 13,422 the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th July 1976; Vol. 914, c. 514], gave the following information:
In each of the last five years the breakdown of persons who registered with the Northern Ireland Department of Manpower Services under the Disabled Persons Employment Act (NI) 1945 by disability class or category is as follows:
30th September 1973 … … 1,570 30th September 1974 … … 1,430 30th September 1975 … … 1,443 The total numbers of persons who registered with the former welfare authorities are as follows:
155WInformation about the numbers added to the registers in each year is not available.
Following the reorganisation of the health and social services, statistics returned to the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services relate to the number of physically handicapped persons with whom the boards were in contact; the figures for the year ended 31st December 1974 are as follows:
Visually impaired … … 2,731 Hearing impaired … … 1,256 General classes … … 9,311 13,298 It is possible that persons who registered with the former welfare authorities and with whom the area boards are in contact could also be included on the register maintained by the Northern Ireland Department of Manpower Services.
The Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services is at present considering the form in which statistical information about the numbers of physically handicapped persons should be maintained in future.