§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to improve the provision of day care facilities and short stay care hostels for severely mentally handicapped children over the age of 16 years, in the Greater London area, in order to reduce the number of these children permanently hospitalised and increase the number living at home.
§ Mr. MoyleThe first priority of the Government's policy in the mental handicap field is to maintain the growth of local authority services at a rate sufficient to meet the targets set in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" for places in adult training centres and residential accommodation. For 1976–77 loan sanction was given for expenditure of £1,436,000 on capital projects for the mentally handicapped in
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1977–78 cash limit Spending assumptions R.H.A. Total £ million Estimated percentage to be spent on mental illness services 1978–79 £ million 1979–80 £ million N.W. Thames … 14.0 2.8 16.4 16.3 N.E. Thames … 16.0 2.6 20.8 19.8 S.E. Thames … 13.1 0.9 15.7 18.0 S.W Thames … 18.4 6.3 13.8 15.2 Greater London, 20.83 per cent. of the tootal capital expenditure approved for the London boroughs.
The National Development Group for the Mentally Handicapped has recently published a pamphlet "Day Services for Mentally Handicapped Adults" which includes a chapter on day services for the most severely handicapped and refers to the problems of school leavers. I am arranging for a copy to be sent to my hon. Friend. I understand that collaborative working between London Boroughs and the Association of Parents of Mentally Handicapped Children is increasing for this age group.