§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those disability organisations he has met in the past year.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythMy right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has not met formally any of the disability organisations in the past year, but he launched the Scottish Council on Disability's computerised information service on 19 May 1989 and on 30 May 1989 he launched from the esplanade of Edinburgh castle the International Spinal Research Trust's "PUSH-2" event—a five-week wheelchair push to London by three young paraplegics. On 1 December 1989 my hon. Friend the Minister of State opened the Scottish Council on Disability's new mobile advice centre. On 22 January 1990 he opened a conference on care in the community at which disabled organisations were represented.
Scottish Office officials are in regular contact with many of the organisations representing people with disabilities.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional budget allocation he has made for provision for the disabled in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility for services for the disabled is a matter for health boards and local authorities within the resources available to them. Provision for hospital and community health expenditure by health boards has been increased by 8.3 per cent. and revenue support grants to local authorities by 7.5 per cent. for next year.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has any unit or civil servant specifically allocated to the task of ensuring provision for the disabled in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythOne branch of the Scottish Home and Health Department has a co-ordinating role for matters relating to the physically disabled but functional topics are dealt with by officials in the various Departments which comprise the Scottish Office.