§ Mr. Tom Benyonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the local authority social services budget was allocated to mental illness services—capital and revenue—in 1980, 1981 and 1982; what level of spending is projected for 1983 and 1984; and what these percentages represent in cash terms.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe information is not available in the form requested, as expenditure on mental illness services is not all separately identified in the information supplied by local authorities. Revenue expenditure on residential care and day care for the mentally ill is given in the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy publications "Personal Social Services Statistics", which show
Residential and day care for the mentally ill as percentage of all local authority social services spending (England) per cent. 1980–81 1.2 1981–82 1.2 *1982–83 1.3 * Budgets. These figures do not include the cost of residential care provided to elderly mentally ill people in homes for the elderly, nor the cost of day care provided for mentally ill people in multi-purpose day centres and clubs.
For future years, the total provision allocated to local authority personal social services in the Government's expenditure plans is £2,125 million—1983–84—and £2,230 million—1984–85. The amount to be spent on mental illness services is for the local authorities themselves to decide in the light of all their local circumstances.