§ Lord Allen of Abbeydaleasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements have been made for deciding which local authority should take responsibility for providing services for residents who are discharged from long-stay mental handicap hospitals to the area of an authority other than that in which they originally lived.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)A local authority in England or Wales can provide personal social services to all mentally handicapped people including those who have come to reside in its area on leaving hospital. However an authority is only required to provide residential accommodation for people who are ordinarily resident in its area or who are in urgent need of residential care.986WA I understand the local authority associations have agreed a voluntary procedure for deciding cases where it is not clear which authority should take responsibility for providing residential accommodation. The position in Scotland is a matter for my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.