My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, I ask the indulgence of the House and add my personal tribute to Lord Carter, to whom I and many thousands of disabled people owe a very great deal.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the report Reviewing the Disabled Facilities Grant Programme published in October 2005.
My Lords, I am pleased to be able to inform the House that we will publish our response to the Bristol report in the form of a consultation paper in January 2007. It will set out the Government's proposals for improving the delivery of the DFG programme and invite comments.
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Given that the Government have, for over a year, been considering this report, which clearly demonstrated that prompt and adequate provision of the disabled facilities grant saved the Exchequer thousands of pounds in hospital and care costs, can the Minister reassure the House that a sustainable adaptations policy and strategy have been developed across all government departments, and that the Treasury has been convinced of the report’s recommendations? Will the Government give local authorities greater flexibility to use the disabled facilities grant to help the disabled person in the most appropriate way?
My Lords, I am sorry it has taken us so long. One reason is that I thought it very important that we talk to local authorities that are having difficulties as well as to those that have been more successful. We had an extensive consultation on a very comprehensive and complex report and, as a result, we will come forward with proposals that will do just what the noble Baroness says and that are sustainable in the long run because they are fairer, faster, more equitable and more affordable, without diminishing the money that goes into the grant. We are going to be very proactive about this in the CSR07, and we will be flexible enough to enable local authorities to draw down social services funding, too. I hope that we will meet all the noble Baroness’s concerns.
My Lords, the Minister says “more affordable”. Bearing in mind that adaptations in the home or the workplace are so vital, what will the position be on affordability? Will means-testing continue, and will it be easier for people to get these adaptations either at home or at work?
My Lords, I cannot pre-empt the report, but issues such as means-testing and capital grants have certainly been addressed in it. I will have to ask the noble Baroness to be patient for a little while longer. It is very important when trying to maintain people’s independence in their own home that we have a faster system of supporting people by providing small adaptations such as a grab rail or a safer doorstep, which will help people to stay at home rather than either being at risk of falling or having to go into residential care.
My Lords, does the Minister agree that one of the difficulties faced by small-scale landlords who wish to rent their property to someone who has a disability is that when that person moves on to other accommodation, the landlord may face quite expensive costs in reinstating the property by removing bath hoists and so on? Will the report also include the possibility of financial aid, where appropriate, for the reinstatement of property, which would make it much more likely that small landlords would make a property available for disabled people and the adaptations in the first place?
My Lords, the private sector gives rise to particular issues, and I am afraid that I will have to give the same answer: we will have to wait and see. I think the noble Baroness’s question is how we build homes that will last a lifetime because they can be adapted as people grow older and become more likely to be disabled. The lifetime homes standard, which we are putting into the code, is a first step, and only a first step, towards doing that. I take her point about private landlords, and I will look at that.
My Lords, will a housing register be part of any ongoing review? Knowing when any work has been done to adapt a building for the disabled and knowing what type of adaptation has been made will probably be a way of avoiding duplication and getting the best out of any work in the long term.
My Lords, there is something to be said for housing registers. Of course, local authorities can already have them. They can be extremely positive when planning for what is needed. PPS3, our most recent planning statement on housing, ensures that housing for an ageing society is clearly identified as part of the planning process—that includes people with disabilities. That takes us a long way forward.
My Lords, it is the turn of the Cross Benches.
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it would be highly desirable for the Government to develop a holistic vision and strategy for accessible housing that drives up supply through planning policies and building regulations, as they are doing for environmentally sustainable housing, rather than continuing with the current policy of building inaccessible houses that simply need to be altered in the future using the disabled facilities grant and other funding streams?
My Lords, I entirely agree. That is partly to be accomplished through PPS3, which does what the disabled lobby very much wanted: to make clear that planning for an ageing society ought to be done in a strategic context. We have worked across government, not only on disabled adaptations, but also on a strategy for housing an ageing society where we would bring together a range of policies to promote independence in the home, and more choice and quality when people become more dependent.
My Lords, how are the Government’s proposals likely to fit in with the Bill sponsored by the noble Lord, Lord Ashley, currently before the House?
My Lords, on Friday, the House had an excellent debate on the Bill sponsored by my noble friend Lord Ashley. My noble friend ably answered points on a range of housing issues. We look forward to Committee stage, when I will be able to work with my noble friend in exploring and developing those ideas.