§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has studied the Equal Opportunities Commission's report "Who Cares for the Carers"; whether he proposes to implement the recommendations regarding support for those who undertake care of the elderly and handicapped at home; and, if so, what form this support will take.
§ Mr. RossiAs my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State said in a written reply to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor) on Tuesday 25 May—[Vol. 24, c.296]—this report is being studied.
The report strongly advocates extensions of eligibility for invalid care allowance but the resource consequences would be considerable and must compete for priority with other pressing needs.
Recommendations concerning the improvement of support services are largely the responsibility of local social services authorities, in collaboration with the health service. There is evidence that local authorities are giving greater attention to aiding and reinforcing voluntary and informal networks of care, often with the help of joint finance. I shall be announcing later this year decisions on the initiatives in "Care in the Community" for transferring people and resources from hospital to community care. Among other things this should help to improve the support local authorities are able to give to carers.