First joint meeting between Assembly Committee and the Welsh Affairs Committee to scrutinise proposed LCO

The Assembly Committee set up to scrutinise proposed legislation relating to domiciliary care will hold a joint meeting with the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee on Thursday 17 January to take evidence from the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas AM.

The charging for home care and other non-residential social services is currently at the discretion of individual local authorities. This has resulted in significant variations in charging policies for similar services across Wales.

The Welsh Assembly Government’s proposed Legislative Competence Order relating to charging for Non-Residential Social Care (Domiciliary Care) – would enable the Assembly to introduce laws, known as Measures, to regulate the setting of charges by local authorities with the intention of addressing existing disparity.  Legislative Competence Orders are a type of secondary legislation which transfer specific powers from Parliament to the Assembly. They have to be approved by both the Assembly and the UK Parliament.

Joyce Watson AM, Chair of the Proposed Domicialiry Care LCO Committee, said: “I am pleased that we will be meeting jointly with the Welsh Affairs Committee on 17 January when the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas AM will give evidence in connection with the proposed LCO. I look forward to an interesting meeting and to the beginning of a constructive working relationship with Welsh Affairs Committee which will be mutually beneficial to both institutions. ”