§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what standard spending assessment has been allocated to Gloucester County Council for the provision of care services in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000. [61506]
§ Mr. HuttonDetails of the standard spending assessments allocated to Gloucestershire County Council for the provision of social services up to 1998–99 are shown in the table. Indicative standard spending assessment figures for 1999–2000 by local authority will be announced shortly.
Year £ million 1996–97 61.579 1997–98 66.678 1998–99 70.932
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what care services local authorities are required to provide; what assessment he has made of the 75W level of care services provided by Gloucestershire County Council; what steps he is taking to improve care facilities; and if he will make a statement. [61507]
§ Mr. HuttonSocial services authorities' powers and duties to provide care services for adults are set out in various pieces of legislation, including the National Assistance Act 1948, the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995, and the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996.
Local authorities' responsibilities for providing care services for children are set out in the Children Act 1989, part III of which deals with support to children in need and their families including the provision of accommodation for children; part IV, with ensuring care and supervision through the courts; part V, with the protection of children from abuse and neglect; and part X concerns child minding and day care for young children.
In recent years Gloucestershire has been inspected by the Social Services Inspectorate as follows:
Year Report 1998 Care management/care programme approach (mental health) 1997 Hospital discharge (care management) 1996 Children leaving care 1995 Information Strategies and systems in community care 1995 Foster care 1995 Inspection units 1994 Complaints procedures Copies of all these reports are available in the Library.
We are today publishing our White Paper, Modernising Social Services. This sets out a wide range of proposals to improve standards in all social services.