§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what mechanisms exist for monitoring and evaluating standards of care for disabled people living in the community.
§ Mr. NewtonIn addition to their own work on monitoring and evaluating the services they provide, local authorities make regular returns to the Department on a wide variety of services for disabled people living in the community. Further information on standards and levels of care is gained from a variety of sources including research studies and the work of the Department's Social Work Service.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will be taking any action to introduce guidelines for minimum standards of care for disabled people living in the community.
§ Mr. NewtonLocal authorities themselves are best placed to judge the type and level of provision required locally to meet the needs of individual disabled people living in their communities. It would not be appropriate for central Government to attempt to impose guidelines.