§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities have ceased to provide subsidised holidays for disabled people since the recent expenditure cuts were announced.
§ Mr. PrenticeDetailed information about each local authority, concerning its expenditure decisions, is not held centrally.
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§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what local authority expenditure cuts are being made which will affect disabled people; and in which parts of the United Kingdom these cuts are taking place.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe Government do not propose to tell authorities how or where to make savings in expenditure. It is for each authaority, in the light of local needs, to determine how best to deploy available resources. When considering any reductions in expenditure, I am sure that authorities will continue to have in mind the need to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to conduct further pilot studies aimed at improving the assessment of employment opportunities for disabled people within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. PrenticeNo. Information collected from those health authorities employing a particularly low proportion of registered disabled people confirmed the conclusions drawn from the pilot study conducted in Derbyshire area health authority. These were that many disabled people employed in the National Health Service are not registered, and that there is a lack of suitable registered disabled candidates for those vacancies which do arise. Health authorities are in regular contact with the disablement resettlement service to keep them informed of vacancies; and they have been reminded of the need to maintain this link.