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The Government response to the Law Commission's three year review into adult social care law. The response considers each of the Law Commission's recommendations and sets them in the context of the Government proposals for reform published in the draft Care and Support Bill.

The social care system is widely seen as failing and it has long been clear that fundamental and lasting reform is necessary.  Reform is made all the more urgent as an ageing population will mean rising demand for care and support. Projected changes in demographics, availability of support from carers, unit costs of care and other factors indicate that social care in its current form will struggle to meet people's needs. Longer life need not mean more time spent in ill health. Improving public health and developing interventions for long-term conditions could pay major dividends.

Government White Paper which sets out the vision for a reformed care and support system. Two core principles are at the heart of the White Paper. These are that everything should be done to minimise people's need for formal care and support and promote people's wellbeing and independence; and that people should in control of their own care and support. The White Paper sets out the reasons for the need for change and then outlines the new vision for care and support. It then looks at how a new system will address concerns in seven key areas.

This Bill is to make provision about life long learning and education for the employment of carers and to place duties on local authorities and health bodies to achieve this.

Policy statement from the Scottish Executive on proposals for a new Mental Health Act for Scotland. The paper sets out the framework of the new Act and goes on to look at more specific issues such as: compulsory treatment; rights of users and carers; vulnerable people; the Mental Welfare Commission; offenders with mental health problems; and making the Act work.

The Committee welcomes the Government's plans to replace the current system of benefits for carers with one that will differentiate between the support a carer needs because they have no income, and the support they need because of other costs relating to caring responsibilities. However the lack of a timetable for the reforms is a major concern in times of increasing economic uncertainty.

The legislation governing the compulsory treatment of certain people who have a mental disorder is the Mental Health Act 1983 (the 1983 Act). The main purpose of this Bill is to amend that Act but it is also being used to introduce "Bournewood safeguards" through amending the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). These changes are in response to the 2004 European Court of Human Rights judgment (HLvUK) (the "Bournewood judgment") involving an autistic man who was kept at Bournewood Hospital by doctors against the wishes of his carers.

White paper setting out detailed proposals to establish a new statutory framework to ensure that those with severe mental disorder get care and treatment to meet their needs and, secondly, that the public is protected from those who may, occasionally, pose a threat to their safety. The proposed changes will affect: local and health authorities; service providers in the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors; and people with mental disorders and their carers. Part 1 of the paper presents the legal framework, and Part 2, in a separate booklet, looks at high risk patients.

Easy read version of the Government White Paper which sets out their vision for a reformed care and support system in England. The White Paper aims to ensure people are kept more independent; have choice and control over their own care and support; can live their lives the way they want and can keep their human rights. Using bullet points this easy read version describes what is meant by care and support; looks at paying for care and support; the problems with care and support at the moment; and how care and support can be made better.

This Act makes three main changes to the law with the objective of providing further support for carers and helping to ensure that they are not placed at a disadvantage because of the care they provide. First, the Act requires local authorities to inform carers, in certain circumstances, that they may be entitled to an assessment under the 1995 and 2000 Acts. Second, when undertaking a carer's assessment, the local authority must consider whether the carer works, undertakes any form of education, training or leisure activity, or wishes to do any of those things.