§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of carers have been assessed under the provisions for assessment in the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995; and what action is being taken to increase that figure. [6821]
§ Mr. BoatengIt is not possible to assess the proportion of carers receiving an assessment under the Act, as the total pool of carers who would qualify for assessment, if they requested it, is not known. A recent survey by the Carers National Association concluded that, to date, a relatively small proportion of carers had been assessed. We intend to monitor the Act closely, both through commissioned research and as part of the Social Services Inspectorate inspection programme, and will need to consider what action to take if this reveals that the Act is not being effectively implemented.