UNDER-funding of the Government's controversial new community care

plans will result in virtually all of Scotland's local authorities

running out of money as they struggle to meet the demands, it was

claimed yesterday.

The convener of the largest social work department, the Rev. David

Laing, predicted that Strathclyde would be left with empty coffers

within nine months of the arrangements being implemented.

He explained that, from the beginning of next month, care for a range

of patients, including the elderly, infirm, mentally-ill, drug abusers,

and alcoholics, will transfer from the Department of Social Security to

local authority social work departments throughout Britain.

The transition will affect six million carers and a further six

million dependants -- a fifth of the entire UK population.

But the move -- which the Labour Party claims is entirely

Treasury-driven -- will cause extreme hardship as some of the most

vulnerable people in society are denied proper care because insufficent

resources have been made available, according to the councillor.

Speaking at a news conference organised by the Labour Party to

highlight the growing concerns of the plan, Mr Laing argued that the

Government had simply passed the buck to social work departments.

He revealed that no financial resources will be provided by the

Government to meet the shortfall in the ''care gap'' -- the amount of

money required to be met by relatives, friends, and local authorities to

keep people in residential homes.

In Strathclyde alone, this figure amounted to nearly #25m with the

overall Scottish figure estimated at around #67m.

Under the shake-up, social work departments must carry out assessments

on patients to determine their needs but, are not compelled to offer

care.

Mr Laing explained that Strathclyde region had already juggled cash

from various budgets to push money into social work in an attempt to

cope with the increased demands.

''However, I am not hopeful that we will be able to bridge the 'care

gap' in Strathclyde and, in fact, will probably run out of cash before

Christmas,'' he said.

Opposition to the community care plan has already been expressed by a

number of public bodies, including the British Medical Association,

which was concerned that no national standards or targets for care have

been laid down by the Government.

Shadow Scottish health spokesperson Maria Fyfe described the shake-up

as being ''scandalously ill thought out'' and demanded an urgent review

of the plans.

She said: ''This Government must realise that good, decent,

community-based care is not a cheap option.