§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take in the light of recent evidence concerning alleged evasions of the official controls on the registration and management of homes for the mentally ill; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieUnder the Registered Homes Act 1984 all homes providing residential care for four or more mentally ill people must be registered with the local authority, which can refuse registration if it is not satisfied with the standard of care. Homes, hotels, and so on, not offering care are not registered, but persons living in such homes who are in need of various types of care should be able to obtain it from health and social service authorities.
The social service inspectorate has just completed a two-year study of the implementation of the Registered Homes Act 1984 for residential care homes; its report is due shortly. We shall be reviewing the registration system in the light of that report and in doing so will be taking into account the report of Lady Wagner's committee on the role of residential care—due early in 1988—and of Sir Roy Griffiths' on community care—also due early next year.