§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the scope of investigation for the committees he has set up chaired by (a) Mrs. Joan Firth and (b) Lady Wagner about private residential care costs and standards; and when they are estimated to report.
§ Mr. NewtonThe scope and terms of reference of the two working parties are as follows
(a) "To review the arrangements throughout the United Kingdom for financial support of residents in local authority, private and voluntary residential care homes, having regard to the three options outlined in the 1985 Working Party Report on Supplementary Benefit and Residential Care and any others which may be identified; to examine the resource and service related implications for both central and local government, any legislative implications, and any need for the transfer of resources; and to make recommendations for a coherent system of financial support which aims to combine flexibility and responsiveness to individual needs and circumstances with the optimum use of public resources.A copy of the 1985 working-party report is in the Library.
Lady Wagner's working party was set up in March 1985 by the National Institute for Social Work.
(b) "To review the role of residential care and the range of services given in statutory, voluntary and private residential establishments within the personal social services in England and Wales; to consider, having regard to the practical constraints and other relevant developments, what changes, if any, are required to enable the residential care sector to respond more effectively to changing social needs: and to make recommendations accordingly.(a) is expected to report by next Easter and (b) early in 1988.