§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on taking power to issue statutory guidance to local authorities concerning their social services charging policies. [121612]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 11 May 2000]: Our White Paper, "Modernising Social Services", recognised that the scale of variation in discretionary charges for non-residential care is unacceptable. This has now been confirmed in the Audit Commission report, "Charging with Care". We are considering all the options for changing the current system, and will consult representatives of service users, carers, local authorities, and other interested parties.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assumptions are made by his Department in the social services Standard Spending Assessment for the recoupment of costs by means of charges. [121611]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 11 May 2000]: The Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) for personal social services comprises four elements: SSAs for children's services, residential care services for older people, non-residential care services for older people, and services for adults aged 18 to 64 years
The SSA formula for residential services for older people includes an estimate of the actual amount of income collected. The SSA formula for non-residential services for older people reflects differences in the potential to raise charge income in different councils. However, SSAs are intended to reflect relative differences in councils' need to spend. The Department does not set targets for recoupment rates, nor make assumptions regarding the monetary value of cost recoupment.
19WThe SSA formulae for the other two elements make no assumption about income from charges.