§ Mr. McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections of residential homes were undertaken per London borough in(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96, (c) 1996–97 and (d) 1997–98; and how many residential homes were visited in each borough. [31218]
§ Mr. BoatengThis information is not routinely collected by the Department. However, local authority social services departments in London participated in a Social Services Inspectorate national survey of registration and inspection units in 1994–95. The number of reported inspections, and the total number of local authority homes, private and voluntary (including dual registered) whether inspected or not are in the table. This survey is being repeated for 1996–97, but the results are not yet to hand. Data for the other years requested are not available.
60W
Inspections of residential care, London boroughs 1994–95 Authority Number of inspections Number of homes Camden 102 51 Greenwich 68 34 Hackney 67 34 Hammersmith and Fulham 61 38
inspections of residential care, London boroughs 1994–95 Authority Number of inspections Number of homes Islington 60 39 Kensington and Chelsea 46 20 Lambeth 144 81 Lewisham 202 64 Southwark 93 47 Tower Hamlets 59 30 Wandsworth 140 69 Westminster 72 36 Barking and Dagenham 39 22 Barnet 174 87 Bexley 64 32 Brent (data not supplied) Bromley 84 70 Croydon 492 107 Ealing 99 61 Enfield 149 81 Haringey 114 62 Harrow 106 56 Havering 93 57 Hillingdon 65 46 Hounslow 50 25 Kingston upon Thames 113 38 Merton 70 35 Newham 74 37 Redbridge 109 55 Richmond upon Thames 86 41 Sutton 132 44 Waltham Forest 132 66
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require registration authorities to undertake detailed company searches as a matter of routine when registering residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32860]
§ Mr. BoatengRegistration authorities are required to satisfy themselves that the person registered or applying to be registered is a "fit person" to run a home. In doing so, authorities will take into account the business background and financial viability of any applicant.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review legislation and regulations governing the registration of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32859]
§ Mr. BoatengWe are committed to creating effective independent regulatory arrangements for residential care homes and nursing homes which are tough, transparent and accountable. We are looking at the options for change and will set out our proposals in the White Paper on Social Services to be published in the summer.
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the financial burden on local authorities of carrying out the registration and inspection of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32861]
§ Mr. BoatengLatest available information returned to the Department from local and health authority returns for 1995–96, indicate that the costs of local authority regulation functions were £28.6 million, and those for health authorities £9.2 million. In both cases, income from residential care and nursing home fees has fallen significantly short of the costs incurred by authorities. Regulatory fees have not been increased for several years and in January this year we published our proposals for 61W raising fees in the "Consultation Document on Increasing Regulatory Fees for Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes", copies of which are available in the Library.