§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has plans to introduce legislation to give local authorities additional powers to detect any unregistered premises offering nursing care to the elderly and to enable those authorities to take action against those registered establishments which fail to meet the requisite standards; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayHealth boards are already empowered to enter and inspect any premises which they reasonably believe to be used as a nursing home and to cancel the registration of establishments which fail to meet the requisite standards. Failure to comply with the requirement to register or the conditions of registration is punishable on summary conviction by a fine. Additional powers do not seem necessary.