§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning the home care service in Wales; what extra resources he plans to allocate concerning this service; if he will meet directors of social services from each of the counties in Wales to consider this service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David HuntThe Government attach great importance to the development of all forms of care, including home care services, which will help enable people to be cared for in their own homes and communities, rather than in institutions.
The management of the home care service is the responsibility of social services authorities. It is a matter for those authorities to decide on a level of provision within the resources available to them. The proper assessment of need to make sure that services are optimally targeted to meet the needs of individuals is clearly essential, and indeed is required by Government policy on commumity care provision. It is for each authority to determine how best to go about this, but the Welsh Office has issued clear guidance on assessment and the provision of social and community care to help them. The "Caring for People" White Paper sets out our commitment to provide adequate resources for local authorities in the exercise of their wider responsibilities from April 1993. I have no present plans to meet directors of social services to discuss their management of the home care service.