§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now in a position to make a statement of his views on the findings of the third survey of personal social services expenditure undertaken by the Association of Directors of Social Services.
§ Mr. FowlerI welcome the report of this survey. It is a helpful contribution to our understanding of the position in social services departments.
The general impression from the survey is that the personal social services have fared relatively well among local authority services. Of the 82 authorities in the survey 44 said that they plan to spend more this year than last: only 31 planned to reduce expenditure. Directors of Social Services reported far more frequently that services for particular groups had been maintained or improved, since 1979 than that they had deteriorated.
Expenditure on personal social services increased by about 7 per cent. in real terms over the last 2 years. It is not unexpected that some authorities should now plan reductions: the Government aim at lower spending by local government and, although we have emphasised the priority of vulnerable groups, personal social services cannot be exempt from the search for savings.