To ask the Secretary of State for Health when guidance will be issued on the powers and duties of local authorities to charge for personal social services; and which organisations he will be consulting.

Appropriate guidance on the powers and duties of local authorities in relation to charging for personal social services will be issued well before local authorities take over full responsibilities for community care in April 1993. Local authorities will be consulted before such guidance is issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any proposals to bring forward legislation to remove the responsibility for personal social services from local government.

There are no plans to do so.