HC Deb 22 June 1982 vol 26 cc89-90W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many chronically sick and disabled persons were assisted with the installation of telephones in Essex in 1980–81; how many applied for assistance; and how many were assessed;

(2) whether he has received any complaints on the failure to provide telephones for disabled persons in Essex in the past two years.

Mr. Rossi

I understand that no assistance with telephones was given by Essex county council in the year 1980–81 but that assistance is currently being given where need is established and there is no waiting list. There was a small number of complaints which the Department took up directly with the authority.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities incurred no expenditure on meals in the home under the provisions of section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act during 1980–81; whether he takes any steps to ensure, in cases where no expenditure is incurred, that satisfactory alternative arrangements are made; and if he will collect information on such arrangements.

Mr. Rossi

All social services authorities—except the Isles of Scilly—incurred expenditure on meals in the home in 1980–81. It is not known how many individual recipients of meals qualified for them under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any estimate has been made of the change in the number of long-term sick and disabled being charged for home helps supplied under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act since 1980.

Mr. Rossi

No estimate has been made by the Department of this change since, as I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 15 June 1982—[Vol. 25, c. 718–19]—no information is held centrally which could form a reliable basis for such an estimate.

Mr. Foster

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland on 15 June, Official Report, c. 718, if he will list those local authorities charging the long-term sick and disabled for home helps supplied under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act and other legislation.

Mr. Rossi

The authorities which received income from charges for the provision of home help services during the financial year 1980–81 are listed under column 139 of the publication "Personal Social Services Statistics 1980/81 Actuals" produced by the statistical information service of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. A copy of this document is in the Library of the House. It is possible that one or two authorities which did not supply information on this item to the institute may also have charged for these services.