Current status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 18 February 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase the proportion of older people in the (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) West Dunbartonshire local authority area that are able to live independently by increasing home care opportunities since 1997.
Councils' expenditure on home care services is funded through the general local government settlement. Between 1997-98 and 2001-02, Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire Councils' net expenditure on home care services increased by 26% to £3.7million and by 28% to £3.0 million respectively. The following tables show the number of clients in receipt of care at home in each of these areas from 1997. Argyll and Bute Home Care Clients
| Year | No. of Clients | No. of Clients over 65 |
| 1997 | 1,033 | 855 |
| 1998 | 1,007 | 906 |
| 1999 | 949 | 814 |
| 2000 | 972 | 829 |
| 2001 | 927 | 786 |
| 2002 | 957 | 827 |
| Year | No. of Clients | No. of Clients over 65 |
| 1997 | 1,641 | 1,490 |
| 1998 | 1,699 | 1,449 |
| 1999 | 1,760 | 1,388 |
| 2000 | 1,767 | 1,387 |
| 2001 | 1,558 | 1,244 |
| 2002 | 1,647 | 1,300 |