Since when was it the job of the local council to pay for toms?

August is the "silly season" in what used to be Fleet Street. Stories that ordinarily would not get a look-in are featured in newspapers.

Today, The Mail on Sunday runs a story that local councils are using taxpayers' money to pay for prostitutes, visits to lap-dancing clubs and exotic holidays for the disabled.

Labour (who else?) introduced a £520million scheme to "empower people with disabilities".

I am sure that the intention was not for this money to be used setting up people with toms.

That is precisely what is happening. One social worker said that if his client, a 21-year-old with moderate learning disabilities, was not allowed to visit a hooker in Amsterdam, it would be breach of his human rights. The social worker said that the 21-year-old was an angry, frustrated and anxious young man and that it was the social worker's duty let him use the money for sex.

Another man who apparently has a brain injury has sessions organised by an
occupational therapist that were designed to teach him to become sexually self-reliant after his wife left him and took all their money.

The 21-year-old man travelling to Amsterdam in September has never paid for sex before but intends to use his personal budget from social services to "try it".

"Who says he can't do what he wants?" his social worker said [I do]. "We can't place restrictions on a young man who wants to experience the world. [Why not?] He has been to two different sexual health and sexual awareness courses and basically wants to try it. Like anyone else wouldn't."

It's on day this that you realise that the country is truly in the grip of mad people.

The social worker adds, "Wouldn't you prefer that we can control this, guide him, educate him, support him to understand the process and ultimately end up satisfying his needs in a secure, licensed place where his happiness and growth as a person is the most important thing?"

What job is it of taxpayers to fund a 21-year-old's "happiness and growth"?

"The need is there. I identified it, I assessed it, and am going to be providing a service to meet it. By refusing to offer him this service would be a violation of his human rights. Put yourself in his shoes before you cut off his balls."

It's your balls that should be cut off Mr Social Worker for even considering this nonsense.

Another chap got a holiday in Tunisia, a subscription to an internet dating site, driving lessons and expensive art materials.

We really all are going to hell in a handcart...