§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements are made for the repairs of wheelchairs for children in long-stay hospitals in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe repair of wheelchairs purchased by a health authority for general use is a matter for the authority itself. Repairs of wheelchairs issued by my Department to individual disabled people, including children in long-stay hospitals, are normally carried out on request, without charge, by one of our network of approved repairers. Repairs costing less than £6 can be arranged by the user or his attendant with any competent person and the cost reimbursed by my Department. In addition, arrangements are made for approved repairers to call regularly at institutions where there is a substantial number of wheelchair users so that all the wheelchairs issued by my Department can be inspected and any necessary repairs effected.
More generally, repair and maintenance of wheelchairs is one of the areas which is being carefully examined in the current review of the wheelchair service.
If the right hon. Gentleman has a particular case of difficulty in mind that he would like me to consider, I shall be glad to have it investigated.
§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many physically and mentally handicapped children are living permanently in long-stay hospitals in England and Wales.
§ Mr. EnnalsIt is estimated that in December 1976 some 3,800 children under 16 years of age had been in mental handicap hospitals or units in England and Wales for one year or more, of whom some 1,900 had been in hospital for five or more years. It is not known how many of these children will remain permanently in hospital. No information is available centrally on the number of mentally han-184W dicapped children in other hospitals, or on the number of physically handicapped children in hospital.