§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has plans to seek to include local authority residential and nursing homes within the statutory inspection procedures relating to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieNo. Local authorities have no responsibility for the provision of nursing homes: only for residential homes. The standards and proper conduct of local authority residential homes are primarily matters for the authority itself. My right hon. Friend also has certain powers under the National Assistance Act 1948 to carry out inspections of local authority provision.
The registration and inspection arrangements in the Registered Homes Act 1984 were designed specifically for the regulation and control of standards in the independent sector of residential care. It is not appropriate to apply these arrangements to local authority homes.