§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Children Bill will be implemented in England and Wales; and if additional funds in connection with the Bill will be given to local authorities in England and Wales as soon as it is implemented.
§ Mr. MoyleAs indicated in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Gould) on 3rd May—[Vol. 910, c.265]—decisions on the phased implementation of the Children Act 1975 are being taken in 295W consultation with local authority associations. Some provisions were brought into operation on 1st January 1976 and details of the additional provisions which it is proposed to implement in the current financial year were given in a circular—a copy of which has been placed in the Library—issued to local authorities and others on 6th September. Account was taken in the rate support grant settlement for 1976–77 of the small additional demand on resources arising from some of these provisions.