§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional support facilities have been given to the elderly in Scotland who are cared for under Her Majesty's Government's community care provisions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartOlder people form one of a number of client groups to benefit from our community care arrangements. These include involving users and carers in planning services, individual assessment of needs, greater choice of services and, where appropriate, the appointment of a care manager to ensure that appropriate packages of care are developed to meet the individual's assessed needs.
To date we have made available to local authorities over £80 million to implement our reforms. This will enable local authorities to provide and develop a wide range of services for elderly people including residential care, day and domiciliary services, aids and adaptations to houses. It is, however, for individual local authorities to decide for themselves the particular services which they provide in response to their assessment of local needs.
I believe that elderly people will be among the principal beneficiaries of our reforms.