§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with 316W the adequacy of existing regulations providing for the inspection and supervision of premises where elderly persons are accommodated; and if he will seek to amend the regulations so that inspection may be made and supervision maintained even if less than four retirement pensioners are resident.
§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review forthwith the working of Section 37 of the National Assistance Act 1948 to ensure that however small the number of old people paying guests, all host establishments be registered and subject to inspection instead of the four-persons-and-above rule which is current practice.
§ Mr. Deakins, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th May 1978; Vol. 950, c. 39–40], gave the following information:
The National Assistance Act 1948 provides, in Sections 37 and 39, for the registration of all persons carrying on disabled persons' or old persons' homes, and provides authorised persons with powers of entry to, and inspection of, any premises so used, or believed to be so used. No regulations made under the Act prescribe that these provisions do not apply where less than four retirement pensioners are resident, though a circular issued in 1949 advised that they would not apply to
a private residence where, in order to augment his income a householder advertised his willingness to care for, say, an elderly or disabled person or married couple".I am aware of some difficulty in interpreting these provisions, particularly where small numbers of old or disabled people are accommodated. We are reviewing the provisions concerned. Registration provisions and associated powers of inspection are no sure safeguard against abuse or bad motivation on the part of people who provide accommodation. Nor is registration the only way in which a health or local authority can check the standard and suitability of accommodation offered to people discharged from hospitals or other forms of care. In many cases such accommodation is visited by social workers or other qualified staff to assess its suitability before it is recommended to individuals, and subsequent visits may be paid to check the situation.