Social Services

Part of Electronic Devices (Madam Speaker's Statement) – in the House of Commons at 3:34 pm on 12 March 1997.

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Photo of Neil Gerrard Neil Gerrard , Walthamstow 3:34, 12 March 1997

May I draw the Minister's attention to paragraph 2.30 of the White Paper, which says that for authorities to continue to provide homes directly, they will have to prove that there will be insufficient independent sector provision (either currently in existence or which could be developed in time) to meet planned need? Does not that imply that a private sector provider could say that it intended to provide something, with no guarantee that such provision would ever come into existence and no way of judging quality or cost, because it would not yet exist? However, that would be enough to force local authorities to shut directly provided provision and close places that were being run successfully. People living in such places would be flung out.