§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales which counties in Wales employ a senior social worker whose sole specialty is the care of physically handicapped people.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettInformation relating to the number of senior social workers whose jobs are solely or largely concerned with services to people with physical disabilities is published in the report "Social Services in Wales for People aged 16–64 who have Physical Disabilities", which was produced by the social services inspectorate for Wales in December 1990. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The report found that Clwyd, Gwent and South Glamorgan employ senior social workers specifically in this capacity. In other counties, the duties of senior social workers also cover other client groups.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has any plans to launch an all-Wales strategy for the physically disabled on similar lines to the all-Wales strategy for the development of services for people with a mental handicap.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe Welsh Office strategy for those with physical or sensory disabilities is to ensure that everything reasonably practicable is done to enable them to live as normal and fulfilled lives as possible in their own homes and communities. To this end, Welsh Office guidance on the preparation of joint plans by social services authorities, working with health authorities and other interests, for the development of social and community care, sets out a distinctive framework for Wales. The plans must identify present levels of activity, assets and expenditure and be produced in consultation with users and carers. This approach builds on the successful experience of the development of services under the existing all-Wales strategies for mental handicap and mental illness.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to embark on a major programme of investment in services for the physically disabled.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettPeople with physical disabilities are benefiting from the record levels of resources made available for health and personal social services in Wales and will benefit further from the reforms set out in the White Paper "Caring for People—Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond" (Cm. 849), chapter 11 of which sets out the programme for Wales.
To help promote the more flexible forms of community care which are proposed in the White Paper we have 578W introduced a new grant scheme in respect of services for people with physical or sensory disability and for elderly people. Under this scheme £1.5 million will be made available in support of projects in 1991–92.