§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the estimated savings of reducing the data collected on the home help service—R64—proposed in the Rayner report on Government statistical services; how many retired people receive a home help; and what is the total expenditure on the home help service.
§ Sir George YoungImplementation of recommendation 64 will save an estimated £1,000 per annum at 1979–80 prices.
In England during the year ending 31 March 1980, the latest for which figures are available, 660,000 households in which at least one person was aged 65 or over received a home help. In that year the net cost of the home help service to local authorities was £157 million. This was enhanced by a further £3.5 million from joint finance contributions by health authorities.
338Wforecast, the following benefits will have varied when measured against the movement in the retail prices index over the period November 1979 to November 1981: