§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has given to the learning disability partnership boards regarding the need to establish intentional community provision in Hampshire under the provisions of the Valuing People Paper. [22275]
§ Jacqui SmithOn 31 August 2001, the Department issued statutory guidance on implementing the proposals set out in "Valuing People". This confirms that local councils must give people with learning disabilities a genuine opportunity to choose between a range of housing, care and support options that include village and intentional communities. Copies of the guidance (Health Service Circular 2001/016: Local Authority Circular (2001)23) are available in the Library.
168WThe guidance also states that learning disability partnership boards should work with councils and other bodies to ensure that a local housing strategy for people with learning disabilities and related plans for commissioning care and support packages is developed by winter 2002–03.