§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he next expects to meet the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and other appropriate voluntary organisations to ascertain the response of disabled persons to the non-implementation of a number of provisions in the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986;
(2) when he next expects to meet the organisation, MENCAP, to discuss the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986;
(3) when he next expects to meet the Spastics Society to discuss early implementation of the relevant sections of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 in respect of the right of disabled persons to appoint representatives;
(4) when he next expects to meet the organisation MIND to discuss implementation of the sections of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 relating to assessments of the needs of patients who are being discharged from long-stay psychiatric hospitals.
§ Mr. ScottAll the organisations to which the hon. Member specifically refers are members of the steering group of disability organisations set up to oversee implementation of the Act. As I indicated in my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 7 July at column119, I shall be writing to the steering group shortly setting out a suggested framework for involving voluntary organisations where appropriate in future work on the implementation of the Act.
§ Mr. Corbynasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of disabled people who at present get high extra additions under supplementary benefit for clothing, laundry and domestic additions whilst awaiting attendance allowance and dietary additions; and what are the equivalent figures for 1984, 1985 and 1986.
§ Mr. ScottThe available information is contained in table 10.7 of the "Supplementary Benefits Statistics, Annual Enquiries", December 1984 and February 1986, copies of which are in the Library. There was no comparable enquiry in 1985.
§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects resources to become available to introduce the sections of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 which have not yet been implemented.
§ Mr. ScottMore work is needed on the costs of the various sections of the Act and decisions on the timing of implementation will then need to be taken in the light of competing priorities for public spending.
§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to introduce enabling orders so as to implement the sections of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, which relate to assessments of the needs of physically disabled and mentally handicapped school-leavers.