§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if his Department has given any consideration to revising its guidelines on the ratio of domiciliary care staff, such as home helps in rural areas; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what account his guidelines on domiciliary care staff take of the distances they have to travel in rural areas;
(3) how many home helps per thousand of the population he would recommend local authorities to employ in rural and urban areas, respectively.
§ Mr. John PattenOur Department made it clear in response to a recommendation in the 1981–82 report of the Select Committee on Social Services that
we do not consider that indicative national target levels of provision would be meaningful in local terms and regard it as the business of local authorities to set local targets in terms of local need and provision and to monitor their progress in achieving them.In setting local targets, local authorities will be best placed to have regard to any special features of rural areas.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the adequacy of domiciliary care staff in rural areas.
§ Mr. John PattenWe have received no representations on this subject.