§ Mr. HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing section 5 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 in respect of its obligation to place duties upon educational authorities and social services authorities to identify, assess and provide for the needs of people with mental handicaps at the time that they move out of full-time education; and what arrangements have been made to ensure that these facilities are being monitored in respect of their implementation in terms of quality of life.
§ Mr. MellorSection 5 of the Act, which came into force on 1 February 1988, requires local authorities to identify all disabled school leavers, including those with mental handicaps, and assess their needs for welfare services. Although children leaving school in 1990 will be the first 611W group to fall within these provisions, we have asked local authorities to undertake similar functions for as many disabled children leaving school before that date as possible. The Department's social services inspectorate is undertaking two inspections of the implementation of sections 5 and 6 of the Act.
§ Mr. HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement sections 1 and 2 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986; and whether he will meet the cost implications required to appoint authorised representatives for all people with mental handicaps in connection with the provision of services and the right to obtain relevant information to facilitate an informed choice of a selection of appropriate support services.
§ Mr. MellorWe have accepted the view of the local authority associations that detailed work, including costings, on sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Act should follow implementation of section 7.