§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions his Department has had with local authority associations concerning the transfer of financial responsibility from his Department to local government under the joint financing scheme.
§ Sir George YoungLocal authority associations were consulted by the Department before the joint finance arrangements were introduced in 1976. The Government have now set in hand consultations with local government and other interests on further ways of enabling people who do not need to be in hospital to be cared for in the community where this will benefit them. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones) today.