§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if the proposed new social services inspectorate will be primarily professional, managerial or financial in its approach to the development of social services;
(2) if he has reached agreement with local authorities about the introduction of a new social services inspectorate;
(3) when he will set up his Department's new social services inspectorate announced on 29 February.
§ Mr. John PattenAgreement has still to be reached on the proposals for a social services inspectorate and I cannot therefore say when such an inspectorate will be set up. The aims of the inspectorate would be to assist local authorities to obtain value for money by making the most effective use of existing professional and other resources and to spread good practice. This would involve professional, managerial and financial approaches to the development of services.