HC Deb 04 July 1996 vol 280 cc507-8W
Sir Wyn Roberts

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral statement of 17 June,Official Report, columns 521–35, if he will make a statement on his plans for children's services in Wales. [36129]

Mr. Hague

My Department has written today to all the local authorities in Wales enclosing an action plan setting out the timetable for the implementation of those recommendations contained in the Adrianne Jones report addressed to them. I have placed a copy of this letter and the associated action plan in the Library of the House. I have asked the local authorities to advise my Department by 14 October this year of the steps taken to implement the 17 recommendations that I expect to be implemented by 1 October 1996.

To assist local authorities in their task, and to implement those recommendations addressed to my Department, I have asked the chief inspector of the social services inspectorate for Wales to take immediate steps to recruit three additional inspectors. This will also enable the inspectorate to check that the implementation has been effective and that practice in local authorities continues to conform to the best practice recommended in Miss Jones's report. I have also decided to establish a development fund of £500,000 which will be used to help bring about the required improvements in practice and procedures. The fund will be available for use in this financial year and in 1997£98.