Lord Ashley of Stoke
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have proposals for independent living for disabled people.
Baroness Northover
My Lords, we are committed to supporting people with disabilities to live as independently as possible. This Government intend to ensure that disabled people get the care they need, while assisting them to have control over their lives, with support tailored to their personal needs.
Lord Ashley of Stoke
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that response. It certainly seems to be promising. Is she aware that some will take a very dim view of any increased expenditure on disabled people—especially now—and say that the time is not right for giving more money to them? However, in view of recent announcements by Ministers on cuts, is she aware that this is precisely the time when we should be protecting and carefully guarding our most vulnerable people by providing them with the means of independent living?
Baroness Northover
I thank the noble Lord for his comments and pay tribute to him for his tireless work on behalf of disabled people. He kept the previous Government up to the mark and I am sure that he will do the same for us. We will listen hard to what he says. I am encouraged by his comments, and he might note that the Budget emphasised that the poorest and most vulnerable in the current financial crisis must be looked after first: that must be our priority as we seek to tackle the difficult financial situation. That came through overwhelmingly in the Budget that we have just heard.
Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, does the noble Baroness not agree that had her Government—here I refer to the previous Question—been willing to tackle the issue of the £4 billion overpayment to Scotland, we would not now need to contemplate cuts to disability living allowance that will affect disabled people right across the land?
Baroness Northover
My Lords, we face major financial problems way beyond the one that the noble Baroness has outlined and pinpointed. It is extremely important in this situation that what we do is fair; that we make sure that the most vulnerable in society are protected; and that we take forward the better protection of disabled people. One reason why we are setting up a commission on long-term social care is so that we can take this forward, building on what the previous Government did. I pay tribute to what they did in this field, and we will take that forward.
Baroness Wilkins
My Lords, given the coalition Government’s emphasis on localism and the three-year freeze on council tax, will the Minister explain how disabled people with high support needs will have their right to independent living met, in competition with other vociferous local groups vying for scarce resources in the local community and council?
Baroness Northover
We remain very committed to trying to ensure that independent living is taken forward. There is a strategy that we have inherited, and we will look at how best to take it forward. I realise that there is pressure on local government. At the moment, we are trying to ensure that this does not have an impact on the most vulnerable. That message has already come through from the Budget. A commission will be set up on long-term care. These are areas that must be urgently addressed because we realise that individuals and their carers and families are under a lot of pressure. We must take this forward in the most effective way possible.
Viscount Tenby
My Lords, the Government favour supported living as an alternative to residential homes. However, because there are quite a number of residential homes still in existence, will funds be made available to enable the transfer to a supported living pattern to take place? I declare an interest as chairman of a residential home for women with learning and physical disabilities.
Baroness Northover
It is extremely important that the kind of provision that best suits an individual is the route that we go down. We must look at what the individual most needs, what they wish to have and what their carers and family feel is most appropriate for them. A lot can be done in different environments. It is very interesting to see how new technology may assist people who wish to stay at home, by ensuring that they can do that safely. There are all sorts of possibilities for people and it is important that provision is led by the individuals concerned.
Lord Addington
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that one of the most important things that can be done is to make sure that when people ask for support and help, they get the right information? Government at all levels has a patchy record at best on this. What resources are being put in to make sure that when you ask a question, you get the right answer; and that the person who is asked the question is confident enough to go away and find someone who knows the answer if they themselves do not?
Baroness Northover
I could not agree more, from personal experience. It is extremely important that the right information is available. Certainly, the previous Government made progress in this regard, and we intend to take this further. It is extremely important that this is looked at from the point of view not of the provider but of the individual. Looking at it from their point of view will help to change the way in which these services are provided.
Baroness Thornton
First, I am sure that the whole House will wish to welcome the noble Baroness to her new position. I know how she must be feeling.
The Minister is concerned about individuals, but the recently announced cuts to local government grants will have a direct impact on the Supporting People budget and will make it more difficult for vulnerable people such as the disabled to live independently in their homes. Is the department monitoring this matter? Personal choice is fine but if your local authority has cut that budget, it does not matter what your personal choice is because the money will not be there to support you.
Baroness Northover
I thank the noble Baroness and tell her that it is very nice to be approaching 15 minutes on the Clock. I very much support what she says. That is one reason why we are setting up the commission, which must report within a year. It is extremely important that the approach in this area is integrated. We very much want to emphasise the individual and local provision. Obviously, we want to ensure that there are national standards and that unintended consequences do not undermine an individual’s experience.