Therefore, I will call on the Minister for children and social services to move the motions. Huw Irranca Davies.

Motion NDM6554 Jane Hutt

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1.  Approves that the draft The Regulated Services (Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2017 are made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 29 September 2017.

Motion NDM6553 Jane Hutt

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1.  Approves that the draft The Regulated Services (Annual Returns) (Wales) Regulations 2017 are made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 2 October 2017.

Motions moved.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motions.

The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill was passed unanimously almost two years ago. It provides a statutory framework for the regulation and inspection of social care services and regulates the social care workforce in Wales. A significant series of subordinate legislation does emerge from the legislation and it's important, for the benefit of those in receipt of care and support and the providers, for us to get this right. My officials have worked closely with the regulator and the sector in order to develop regulations that are proportionate, robust, and meet the needs.

The two sets of regulations before you today are fundamental components of the new system. They were developed during phase one of implementation and were subject to a full 12-week consultation. The Act requires that providers of regulated services register with the Welsh Ministers—in practice, the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales. It establishes a revised set of processes for registration and brings into effect a service-based approach, enabling providers to make a single application covering all of their services. Registrations may subsequently be varied to allow for additional services and locations.

If I turn to the Regulated Services (Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2017, this covers the requirements for applications to register and for applications to vary that registration. These include information and documents required upon application. This will ensure that CSSIW has sufficient information to make an informed decision about the proposed service and the suitability of the applicant to provide that service. It also provides clarity and certainty for providers as to the type of information they will be asked for.

The Act also requires service providers to produce annual returns about the services they provide, which will be published on CSSIW's website alongside the provider's inspection report. Much of the detail to be included in an annual return is on the face of the Act. However, the Regulated Services (Annual Returns) (Wales) Regulations 2017 set out further information to be provided about the service, its staffing and any accommodation provided, as well as arrangements for staff training and for workforce planning. This will ensure that everyone has access to accurate, relevant and comparable information, to help decide upon the best service to meet their needs.

The regulations also require that providers use an online annual return form. This will ensure that every provider, regardless of size or corporate structure, completes the return in a consistent way. Although these regulations deal with largely technical issues, they underpin key provisions of the Act. They will help to deliver greater transparency by ensuring that useful information is readily available to all. They will also streamline and simplify registration, reducing the burden on providers whilst ensuring that the regulator can fulfill its duties effectively. Both sets of regulations here are necessary to achieve the new system for regulating and inspecting social care services in Wales, and I commend them to Members.

May I congratulate the new Minister? I look forward to working with you in one of the most important areas covered in this Assembly, namely social care.

We won't be opposing these regulations at all, but in the responses to the Government's work on this there were some queries raised about the capacity of the ICT system that will underpin the registration and annual return system. I think the response was that the information had been collated and passed to relevant officials and Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales. I appreciate that you may not be able to answer this question in the Chamber today as you're new in post, Minister, but what confirmation have you had that the IT system can now cope with the requirement of these regulations, because we're all familiar with very benign, unhelpful legislation which has fallen short just because of poor delivery? Thank you.

Suzy, I thank you for that question, and I've not had raised with me at this moment any concerns from officials that there is any lack of capacity, but I'll certainly take that back and explore it further. I know the point that underpins the new process that we have in front of us, subject to these statutory instruments being passed today, is actually to produce that more friendly online registration system, more streamlined and more user friendly and more efficient as well. I haven't had those issues raised about capacity, but I will go back and check and I'll write to Suzy as well,FootnoteLink and to other Members who are interested in this, particularly if there are any concerns and to show how they've been overcome.

Information further to Plenary

Thank you very much. The proposal is to agree the motion under item 4. Does any Member object? No, therefore, that motion is deemed to be passed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36. 

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

And, again, the proposal is to agree the motion under item 5. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, that motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.