46.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the reductions in expenditure on the personal social services are greater than those sought from any other public service.
Although there were higher reductions on expenditure in some public services, the tentative figures in the Government's expenditure plans 1980–81 (Cmnd. 7746) did show an above average reduction for local authority personal social services. Given the Government's commitment to defence, law and order, social security, the NHS and teaching standards, this was inevitable if the country is to live within its means, but it is for local authorities to determine the eventual distribution of expenditure between their services in the light of local needs and conditions. The voluntary sector probably already makes a larger contribution in the social services field than the statutory sector and there is scope for increasing this still further. This is not so true of other public services.