David Cameron Responds To UKAF's Call On Public Services

Main Category: Autism
Article Date: 16 Nov 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron, has responded to the call of the charity the UK Autism Foundation urging him to protect the vulnerable from the 'savage cuts' to public services.

Ivan Corea CEO of the UK Autism Foundation had written to Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg urging the three political leaders to shield parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome from the cuts to public services.

'Already many families and people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome are suffering as a result of the postcode lottery to public services. Any further cuts to health, education, specialist speech therapy and respite care will be devastating. We are fast approaching a General Election in 2010 and autism will be one of the serious issues all political parties will need to address, they must protect the vulnerable,' said Ivan Corea of UKAF.

In reply to the call of the UK Autism Foundation, David Cameron said: 'As you know, this country is in a very serious debt crisis and we need urgently to get our public finances under control. This does not mean that some very tough decisions are necessary and public spending will have to be cut. But at the same time, we have said very clearly as a Party that we must not pare down the debt on the backs of the most vulnerable in our society. And that is why we have committed ourselves to real increases in health spending and to deliver real changes to the way the NHS works in practice so that it can meet the health challenges of the future. I agree with you that autism represents one of the most difficult and pressing of these challenges,' he said.

David Cameron added,' I am very keen to make changes to the way the funds for these disabilities are allocated. Patients and health professionals should have more power over the way that their health priorities are decided and I want to more personal budgets and direct payments so that decisions about funding can be taken at the closest possible level to the individual concerned.'

UKAF has welcomed the debate on the personalisation of public services for families and people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

Peers in the House of Lords backed UKAF's call for an increase in tax credits, the disability living allowance and the carer's allowance for parents, carers and people with autism and AS in an autism debate in October.

Source
UK Autism Foundation

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