§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue a clear exposition on the levels of service which can be expected by recipients of personal social services;
(2) what is his policy with regard to the principle of equity of access to personal social services;
(3) what steps he takes to measure outcomes in the provision of personal social services.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIt is for local authorities to determine the appropriate level of services based on their judgment of local needs and priorities and on available resources, and to monitor implementation. Their published community care plans should make clear the level of services they expect to provide.
The Department is committed to funding longer term research to evaluate the new community care arrangements, including the assessment of outcomes for users and carers.
The standard spending assessment for personal social services represents the Government's view of the appropriate level of spending required to achieve a standard level of service, and thus ensures that the Government's contribution to local government is targeted on areas with greatest need.