§ Paul HolmesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the original target was for the extension of direct payments; to how many people direct payments have been extended; and it' he will make a statement. [170201]
§ Dr. LadymanIn 2002–03, 9,600 people received a direct payment. The Department has not set a target for the extension of direct payments. Increasing the take up of direct payments will contribute to the annual overall assessment of a council's performance. To achieve a performance rating of 'very good', councils must have at least 150 people receiving direct payments per 100,000 population aged 18 or over. The national average for 2002–03 was 23.