asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure that elderly people are cared for, whenever possible, at home in the community.

The policy of my Department and the health boards is to organise services so that the elderly can continue to live in privacy and comfort in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible.

The effective co-ordination of statutory and voluntary services is seen to be a vital requirement in carrying through this policy. The Director of Community Care and his team have a particular responsibility for ensuring that this co-ordination is developed and maintained. These arrangements and the effectiveness of the services being provided are kept under regular review by my Department, which has recently been strengthened for this purpose. It will continue to be a priority area for attention.

Would the Minister give consideration to increasing the prescribed relative allowance so that relatives may help many patients or people who are at present in institutions and who might be kept at home? Instead of incurring expense the State would actually save money by increasing this allowance. It costs £60 to keep a person in a non-teaching hospital. If you give £20 to a relative it will save £40 per person.

I accept that these measures are in line with the general policy and as soon as it is possible I would certainly be very keen on doing it.