§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the current ranges of payment to foster parents 499W for the care of a child; and what is the average amount paid per week for the foster care of a child under 5 years, between 5 and 8 years, between 8 and 11 years, between 11 and 14 years and between 14 and 18 years, or similar age groups.
§ Mr. MoyleInformation about the range of payments made by local authorities to foster parents for the care of a child is not collected centrally. Local authorities determine their own rates in the light of individual and local circumstances. Scales vary throughout the country but as the result of our discussions with officials of the local authorities' associations last July they have offered to consider, as soon as resources allow, whether simple and flexible guidelines could be recommended to their members for implementation, possibly on a regional basis.
§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if child benefit can be paid to the foster-parents of a child placed in a foster home by a local authority (a) where the child was given voluntarily into care and (b) where the child has been taken into care on a court order against parental wishes.
At 31st March in each year (Thousands) 1973 1974 1975 1976 Number of children in care 88.8 91.3 94.2 95.8 Percentage boarded out under Boarding Out Regulations 32.0 32.2 32.2 32.9 Percentage in other accommodation apart from Community Homes and special homes 25.9 25.3 25.7 25.3
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the Official Report the number of people exempt from prescription charges and his Department's estimate of the number of people entitled to receive such exemption; on what basis his Department's calculation is made; what are the total sums involved; and what were the corresponding figures in the past five years.
§ Mr. Deakins, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd December 1976; Vol. 921, c. 307], gave the following information:
I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon.
500W
§ Mr. OrmeChild benefit is not payable to foster parents for a child boarded out with them by a local authority. This applies whether the child was placed in care voluntarily or committed by the court.
§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for his Department's recruiting films for foster parents to be shown on television between 18th and 24th October, during National Foster Care Week.
§ Mr. MoyleYes. We shall ask the television companies to show our television filler films during National Foster Care Week, though this is a matter of their good will, as fillers are shown free in unsold advertising time as a public service.