HC Deb 01 March 2004 vol 418 cc695-6W
Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of extending the provisions of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Bill to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [156938]

Angela Smith

The Carers and Direct Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 introduces provisions broadly in line with this Bill in relation to the provision of information, provision of services to carers and the right of a carer to an assessment in his/her own right.

Additionally carers were identified as a priority group under the former Executive's Promoting Social Inclusion (PSI) programme. An inter-Departmental

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