§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if, on his visit to Clwyd county council on 22 February, he will take steps to discuss with the director of social services, the council and other senior county officials the financial implications of closing the Greencroft hostel, Aston, Deeside, so far as adequate funding and staffing and the consequent placing of former residents of the hostel in homes and flats in the Deeside community is concerned;
(2) if he will make extra financial allocations to Clwyd county council in order that the county will have sufficient cash successfully to locate the former residents of Greencroft hostel, Aston, Deeside, in the community; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristIt is for individual authorities to determine spending priorities for their areas, having regard to the financial implications of particular schemes and the resources available to them. The total amount of rate support grant made available for 1988–89, and the principles underlying its distribution between authorities, are published in the Welsh rate support grant 1988–89. The allocations were approved by the House on 15 December, and there is no scope for extra allocations. However, in setting current expenditure provision for Wales in 1988–89, an increase of £9.9 million (7.1 per cent.) was allowed for personal social services (including port health).
My right hon. Friend expects soon to announce capital additional funding for the development of community-based services under the all-Wales mental handicap strategy in response to bids which have already been made by county joint planning teams.