HL Deb 10 January 1994 vol 551 c8WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in view of the findings of Rescare that (a) a majority of people with mentally handicapped relatives want sheltered and village communities as a genuine option for those relatives and (b) such communities can offer full residential, educational and occupational facilities for the mentally handicapped at some 40 per cent. of the cost of similar facilities under the Community Care programme, they will re-instate village and sheltered communities in the list of provision for the mentally handicapped which local authorities are encouraged to support.

Baroness Cumberlege

The list contained in LAC(92)15, a copy of which is available in the Library, is not intended to be either comprehensive or exclusive. There is therefore nothing to prevent local authorities from purchasing or providing places in village or residential communities if that is what individuals and their families prefer and the communities meet the criteria set out in the guidance.