§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of homeless alcoholics.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people requiring (a) the service of detoxification centres and (b) those of hostels for alcoholics.
§ Mr. MoyleOne of the purposes of setting up experimental detoxification centres is to help ascertain the extent of the need for such services. There is no reliable estimate of the number of persons568W requiring the services of hostels for alcoholics.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total sum of money being allocated for detoxification units.
§ Mr. MoyleA number of different services play a part in detoxification units, and the costs are met from different sources, rather than by a special allocation.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further plans he has to deal with the problem of alcoholics and particularly homeless alcoholics; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleWe shall be reviewing policies in the light of advice which we expect to receive this year from the Advisory Committee on Alcoholism on the prevention of alcoholism and the pattern of services for alcoholics; also in the light of views expressed on the Department's Consultative Document "Priorities for Health and Social Services in England" and on the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Ill" (Cmnd 6233). These have already called the attention of health and social services authorities to the need to develop more locally based treatment services and the special need to develop more effective services for homeless alcoholics; and gave advice on the forms which services might take and the need for experiment.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the level of grant aid allocated to voluntary hostels for alcoholics per bed; when this was set and what it would have to be now to have kept pace with inflation; and what plans he has to increase it.
§ Mr. MoyleGrants to voluntary organisations for hostels for alcoholics are for capital up to £3,000 per new place and for running costs up to £475 per place. These rates apply from 1st April 1976. They are reviewed annually to take account of rising costs.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail those points of the recommendations of the Report of Habitual Drunken 569W Offenders that have been implemented; and what plans he has to implement the others.
§ Mr. MoyleThe recommendations which concern my Department are those relating to treatment and rehabilitation services including the provision of experimental detoxification centres referred to in another reply today. In 1973 my Department assumed responsibility for making grants to support hostels for alcoholics—including three formerly part of the Home Office after care scheme. Circular 21/73 "Community Services for Alcoholics" emphasised the importance of a community based service reflecting a number of the recommendations. The consultative document "Priorities for Health and Social Services in England" has drawn the attention of health and local authorities to the urgent need to develop an integrated range of services within the resources available.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons have been admitted to mental hospitals and units suffering from primary or secondary degrees of alcoholism in each year from 1971.
§ Mr. MoyleThe number of individual patients admitted is not known. The number of admissions to mental illness hospitals and units in England and Wales was as follows:
Years Primary diagnosis of alcoholism or alcoholic psychosis Secondary diagnosis of alcoholism 1971 … 9,230 671 1972 … 10,167 683 1973 … 11,565 693 1974 … 12,495 689 1975 … 12,751 681