§ Lord Jenkins of Putneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the percentage of persons registered as disabled in Wandsworth has declined from 2.68 in 1977 to 1.06 in 1979; what are the reasons for the decline; whether the real proportion of disabled persons is estimated as being in excess of 5 per cent., and what action are the Government taking to encourage registration.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Trefgarne)Returns made to the department by The London Borough of Wandsworth show that the numbers of registered disabled people in the general classes were as follows:
1304WA
- 1977—6,294
- 1978—7,153
- 1979—7,506
- 1980—7,800
- 1981—8,190
This shows a rise in the numbers registered as a percentage of the estimated population of Wandsworth from 2.2 per cent. in 1977 to 2.7 per cent. in 1979 and 3.0 per cent. in 1981. The national average in 1981 was 2 per cent.
No estimate of the total number of physically disabled people is available. Returns from the registers are known to underestimate the prevalence of disability in the population, but registration is voluntary and it is for individuals to decide whether they wish to apply to be registered.