§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of expenditure in 1978–79 and in 1977–78 727W by his Department in the treatment of alcoholism;
(2) what is his estimate of the cost of excessive consumption of alcohol both from the provision of treatment and from social security expenditure during the last financial year.
§ Mr. MoyleThe full extent to which the misuse of alcohol contributes to ill health and unemployment cannot, on present information, be reliably estimated nor therefore can the consequential expenditure incurred in social security benefits and the provision of treatment, but it is likely to be much greater than the available separately identifiable figures given below:
Cost at November 1977 prices £ million Treatment of alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis in non-psychiatric hospitals (1973) 1.07 in psychiatric hospitals (1975) 7.80
1977–78 £ Grants to voluntary bodies providing community services for alcoholics 808,000