§ 18. Mr. MillerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce inconsistency in the standards of social services departments. [98943]
§ Mr. HuttonWe are taking a range of measures to drive up standards in social services. There will be a new independent regulation system for care homes, children's homes and other care services including those directly provided by local authorities, based on national standards. The Fair Access to Care initiative will require local authorities to apply eligibility criteria consistently around the country. Our proposed Quality Strategy for Social Services will help raise local standards.
The implementation of these initiatives will be monitored closely. For the first time there is a comprehensive performance assessment system for social services, built around the Best Value regime.