I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.
There is no formal code of practice in relation to the right to respite care. However, the provision of respite care and home support services are an integral part of service provision to people with a mental handicap and people with physical disabilities. Both statutory and voluntary service providers use the facilities available to them to provide access to various respite services for as many clients as possible.
Respite services are provided in a variety of ways; for example, through the use of dedicated respite beds, residential places vacated by residents returning to their families at weekends and the use of other residential places as and when available. As such it is not possible to identify separately in the annual allocations for services to persons with a mental handicap-physical disability the amounts which relate solely to respite care.
Responsibility for the respite care scheme was transferred from the Department of Social Welfare to my Department at the start of 1995. Funding of £500,000 was made available in each of the years 1995 and 1996 to provide grants to agencies and organisations to provide respite care. This scheme is administered through the health boards.
Services for Persons with a Mental Handicap