Legislative Competence Order on Carers

I am pleased to announce that a proposed Legislative Competence Order (LCO) on Carers has been laid today.  

Despite the existing framework of legislation and guidance consultation with carers, carers’ organisations and others have identified gaps in service provision that are not currently being addressed.  In particular there is a need to improve the lives of carers in the following key areas:

• the identification of carers themselves,
• the assessment of carers’ needs, 
• the delivery of services and support to address these needs,
• the provision of accessible, relevant, up to date and timely information,
• the effective engagement of the Health Services and other agencies with carers as partners; and
• the effective co-operation of statutory agencies.

The Assembly Government’s “One Wales” document therefore included a commitment to prepare new legislation on carers in order to ensure that its policy objectives with regard to carers are given the necessary priority and that gaps and inconsistencies in service provision are tackled effectively.

The principal purpose, therefore, of this LCO is to empower the Assembly to pass Assembly Measures under part 3 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 that will enable the Assembly Government to support carers and promote their well-being.    

I will make a Legislative Statement during Plenary on 09 December 2008.