§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the operation in Wales of the Residential Homes Act 1980.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe Residential Homes Act 1980 was repealed and effectively superseded by the Registered Homes Act 1984, which came into force on 1 January 1985. It strengthens the regulations governing the registration, operation and inspection of all voluntary and private residential care homes catering for four or more elderly or otherwise dependent people. Although it is too soon to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of the 1984 Act in operation. The Government believe that private and voluntary residential care homes will have an increasingly valuable role to play in the development of care in the community to complement the provision made by the health and local authorities. Registration and inspection of homes remain the responsibility of local authorities.
336Wcent. after taking account of changes in pay and prices. The increase between 1974–75 and 1979–80 was 8.4 per cent. The Mold community hospital opened in April 1984 and four other hospitals in Clwyd have been redeveloped and re-designated as community hospitals. One other community hospital is being built in Powys.