§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the total of (a) capital and (b) revenue grants paid to voluntary organisations for the purpose of giving hostel places for alcoholics since the scheme began;
(2) if he intends to continue the payment of grants to voluntary organisations to provide hostel places for alcoholics after 31 March 1980;
(3) what is the estimated number of hostel places for alcoholics; how many are currently available; how many are planned; and what steps he proposes to take to increase the number.
§ Sir George YoungCircular 21/73 "Community Services for Alcoholics"554W encouraged local authorities and voluntary organisations jointly to identify local needs rather than aim at some predetermined number of places. The Department is paying revenue grants for 59 hostels providing 672 places. Six more hostels with 70 places are planned—four of these have received capital grants; two applications are being considered. I am aware of five more hostels providing 37 places supported by local authorities.
The total grants paid by the Department for five years on the express for alcoholics are:
Capital Revenue Total £ £ £ 1973–74 51,606 62,703 114,309 1974–75 132,505 88,035 220,540 1975–76 199,903 102,934 302,837 1976–77 270,883 188,033 458,916 1977–78 205,060 263,219 468,279 1978–79 145,524 318,116 463,640 1979–80* 150,000 350,000 500,000 Totals 1,155,481 1,373,040 2,528,521 * Estimated. The hostel grants scheme under circular 21/73 was a pump-priming arrangement for five years on the express understanding that, thereafter, the voluntary organisations would look to local authorities for any financial support needed to enable them to continue. The scheme was extended in May 1976 by a tapering arrangement to continue the revenue grant for each hostel for five years from its opening. In 1978 the scheme was further extended by two years to 31 March 1980 to allow time for review, so that new schemes could be accepted up to 31 March 1980 and payments, under the five-year rule, could extend, in some cases, into the financial year 1984–85. The outcome of the review will be announced when current consultations with the local authority organisations and representatives of voluntary organisations are completed. But no provision has been made to fund a further extension of the scheme and this could only be done at the expense of other priorities.