HC Deb 12 July 1982 vol 27 cc293-4W
Mr. Stallard

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in his plans for the implementation of the report "Care in the Community", he is assuming the adoption of the report of the expenditure steering group for personal social services.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

We hope to make an announcement fairly soon about decisions on the consultative document "Care in the Community". The report of the expenditure steering group is a report to the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance whose advice will be considered by the Government in due course.

Mr. Stallard

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the report of the expenditure steering group for personal social services takes into account the forthcoming bulge in the numbers of very elderly people over the age of 75 years in its plans for local authority services.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Yes.

Mr. Stallard

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the publication of extracts from the report of the expenditure steering group for personal social services in The Guardian of 8 July, he will publish the full report forthwith.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services to the hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead) on 24 November 1981.—[Vol. 13, c.352.]

Mr. Stallard

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the report of the expenditure steering group for personal social services.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The expenditure steering group for personal social services is composed of officials nominated by the local authority associations and government officials. It is one of a number of groups for individual services that report to the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on their discussions of the Government's expenditure plans and local authorities' budgets and current policies. These consultations take place annually as part of the process leading up to the rate support grant settlement. The consultations for the 1983–84 settlement are at a comparatively early stage. The report referred to will be considered by the consultative council at its meeting later this month.