§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of Hampshire Social Services record in respect of the processing of applications from aspiring adoptive parents relative to that of other social services departments. [87846]
§ Mr. HuttonA survey will begin in July, to be carried out by the Social Services Inspectorate, of adoption services provided by each local authority in England. This is part of a planned assessment of progress made by local authority in implementing guidance we issued last August under circular Local Authority Circular (98) 20: "Adoption—Achieving the Right Balance". The survey will be followed later on in the year by a more detailed questionnaire and an inspection of a number of authorities. The results will be published in 2000.
§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to take to accelerate social services departments' processing of applications from parents to adopt. [87847]
§ Mr. HuttonI announced to the House on 16 June 1999,Official Report, columns 353–54, our intention to give responsibility for the regulation and inspection of adoption agencies to the commissions for care standards which are to be established as part of the Government's proposals for improving social services, and which were envisaged in the White Paper "Modernising Social Services". These inspections will cover all aspects of the adoption service including the process for handling adoption applications.