§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the National Care Standards Commission and the Social Services Inspectorate will be abolished and their functions transfered to the Health and Social Care Inspectorate. [72150]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 19 April, we plan to set up two new independent inspectorates, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Commission for Social Care Inspection. These new bodies will further strengthen the system for inspecting health and social care, ensure clearer public accountability and rationalise the number of bodies regulating health and social care.
Social work staff1 (whole-time equivalent) per 1,000 population 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 20012 St. Helens 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 Merseyside 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.7 North-West (excluding Merseyside) 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 England 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 1Includes care managers 22000 population figures used as these are the latest available Sources: Form SSDS001, annual return of local authority social services departments staff and Office for National Statistics population figures