§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the funding of the warden service in sheltered housing after 1994; and what is his estimate of the number of wardens employed by health and social services authorities in sheltered housing.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesA Court of Appeal judgment cast doubt on housing authorities' powers to provide care services and charge their costs to the housing revenue account. To avoid the risk of disruption to these important services, the Government are seeking powers in the Housing and Urban Development Bill to regularise housing authorities' practices in connection with these services.
The Government's policy is that the housing revenue account should be a landlord account. We therefore propose that these new powers would be temporary. However, before any decisions are taken about the tinting of any change in the arrangements, about how the services would be provided thereafter, or about how their costs would be accounted for, there will be full consultation with all parties in the new year. When considering how best to implement any new arrangements, we shall consider all the financial and administrative issues to ensure that support continues to be available for those who need it. Information on the number of wardens in local authority sheltered accommodation is not held centrally.