HC Deb 24 November 1987 vol 123 cc160-1W
26. Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to review the current level of funding of community care services; and if he will make a statement.

29. Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to speed up the implementation of community care policies with appropriate resources.

Mr. Newton

Sir Roy Griffiths has been asked to review the way in which public funds are used to support community care policy. We shall give very careful consideration to his conclusions, which we expect to receive early next year.

85. Mr. O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make extra provision available for local authorities to provide additional and continuing care in the community for elderly and mentally handicapped people; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Currie

We provided an extra 1 per cent. worth about £27 million, for improvements in community care in the rate support grant settlement for 1987–88. Sir Roy Griffiths has been asked to review the way in which public funds are used to support community care policy and to advise on the options that would improve the use of these funds as a contribution to more effective community care. I understand Sir Roy intends to present his recommenda-tions to my right hon. Friend early in the new year.

95. Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to review the arrangements for oversight of local authority provision of services for community care.

Mrs. Currie

We have no present plans to review the arrangements. The provision of social work services in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the reason for the requirement in the social fund regulations for applicants for a community care grant to apply at the office for the area to which they have moved, rather than the area in which they previously lived.

Mr. Scott

Applications for community grants for the cost of removals and/or fares only will normally be the responsibility of the office which covers the area from which the applicant is moving. However, where the applicant is being resettled for institutional or residential care and has applied for other items, the responsibility will lie with the receiving office. This is to facilitate effective liaison with any local agencies involved with the applicant so that the social fund community care grant may complement any other provision that may be made.