This briefing on the Health and Social Care Bill has been prepared for the Second Reading debate on the Bill in the House of Commons on 31 January 2011.
The Bill is intended to give effect to the reforms requiring primary legislation that were proposed in the NHS White Paper Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS. This White Paper set out the Government’s aims to reduce central control of the NHS, to engage doctors in the commissioning of health services, and to give patients greater choice.
This is an account of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Children, Schools and Families Bill. The Bill contained a clause on the charitable status of academies, but the Government decided it could achieve its objectives by non-legislative means, and at the end of the Committee Stage the clause was removed. No other changes were made to the Bill in Committee. There were many amendments proposed by the opposition parties but none was successful.
This Bill provides ‘guarantees’ for pupils and parents in the school system, underpinned by new Home School Agreements, and makes provision for parental satisfaction surveys. It also makes changes to the powers of governing bodies of maintained schools; extends the remit of School Improvement Partners; provides greater powers for local authorities and the Secretary of State in relation to failing schools; paves the way for the introduction of School Report Cards; and makes provision to introduce a licence to practise for teachers. The Bill also seeks to implement the recommendations of several major reports. These changes affect the school curriculum; provide a registration system for home educators; and provide an additional right of appeal for parents of children with special educational needs. The Bill would also make changes to the reporting of information relating to family proceedings. Other provisions relate to Local Safeguarding Children Boards, Youth Offending Teams, the charitable status of academies, and the fees system for the inspection of independent schools.
Social care in England: statistics. By Rachael Harker. SN/SG/3077. This Note outlines some of the headline figures associated with social care in England.
Projections of long term care expenditure. By Rachael Harker. SN/SG/3126. This Note summarises the latest projections of expenditure on long-term care services for older people in England to 2041 derived from the University of Kent's Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) model.
This is a report of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill. It complements Research Papers 09/14 and 09/15 prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate.
This Bill would require local authorities to collect and share information about people with autism, in order to assist in the provision of services. The Bill also contains measures to promote multi-agency working in the delivery of services, and the effective transition from child to adult services, for people with autism.
This paper is one of two which examine the main proposals of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill 2008-09. It deals with the provisions relating to the dissolution of the Learning and Skills Council, the transfer to local authorities of responsibility for funding 16 to 18 education and training; the education of offenders; the creation of the Young Person’s Learning Agency and the Skills Funding Agency; and the legal identity of sixth-form colleges. The paper also covers the new regulatory body for qualifications (Ofqual); and a new agency to carry out the non-regulatory functions currently performed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The Bill seeks to strengthen the accountability of children’s services; amend intervention powers in respect of schools which are causing concern; provide for a new parental complaints service; change the school inspection arrangements; create a new negotiating body for school support staff pay and conditions; and address issues related to pupil and student behaviour. See also Research Paper 09/14.
Social Care aspects of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. (Bill 70 of 2002/03). House of Commons Library Research Paper 03/39.