Care Council for Wales Response to the Consultation Document: The Powers of the National Assembly for Wales: Issues and Questions for Consultation

Care Council for Wales
The Care Council for Wales, an Assembly Sponsored Public Body, was established on 1 October 2001 under the Care Standards Act 2000 ‘to promote high standards of conduct and practice among social care workers and high standards in their training’.

The Care Council will:

• Agree Codes of Conduct and Practice which apply to social care workers and employers across the whole social care sector
• Set up a register of social care workers to improve public protection
• Take forward the Workforce Development Agenda which will promote and support access to training, qualifications and continuous professional development
• Regulate social work qualifying and post qualifying training.

Context

The consultation invites views on the powers of the National Assembly for Wales.

The consultation process is being undertaken by the Richard Commission.

Care Council for Wales’ Response to the consultation document ‘The Powers of the National Assembly for Wales: Issues and Questions for Consultation’

Question: In what practical ways do the powers of the Assembly, or the limits on its powers, impinge on you, your organization or the people whom you serve and what are the best examples of this from your point of view?

• The powers of the Assembly have enhanced and ensured a better voice for meeting the needs of Wales. The establishment of the Care Council for Wales is a good example. There is a much better dialogue and the powers can empower and ensure that planning and resourcing is better targeted to meet the needs and expectations of people in Wales.

Section: Are the powers of the National Assembly sufficient to meet the needs of Wales? (page 2)

Question: Does the Government of Wales Act provide the Assembly with the powers it needs to operate effectively and meet the expectations of the people of Wales?

•  The limits are clearly related to resources and lack of powers for primary legislation. (There still therefore remains some bureaucracy and indeed dimensions which are less or more relevant for us in Wales).

Question: How would Welsh interests be affected if the role of Welsh MPs were to be reduced as a consequence of the acquisition of primary law making powers by the National Assembly?

• Interests of Wales can effectively be met in a variety of ways. Welsh MPs may need to be reduced but with primary law making powers work would be focused and arguably Welsh interests better represented. It is important that all Wales, (not just Cardiff interests) are represented.

Question: How would Welsh interests be affected if the Secretary of State’s role was reduced as a consequence of the acquisition of primary law making powers by the Assembly?

• Primary law making powers would enhance Welsh interests and the Secretary of States’ role would need to change to effect such changes and to ensure continuity and cross country dialogue.

Section: Relations between the Assembly and Whitehall (page 5)

Question: What would be gained or lost if there was a clearer separation between England and Wales in policy development and implementation?

• Gains would mean that policy and implementation would be more effective in meeting need.
• Policies would be better developed within a context of acknowledging and valuing diversity and difference, less bureaucracy and more ownership. There need only be minor losses if planning and trust is effectively developed; there may well be the same policies for Wales and England. Others may have minor differences. Important that co-ordination is effective, to avoid duplication.

• Maturity in devolution will lead to shared policy development and implementation strategies in areas where that is the most sensible, appropriate and effective way forward and clearer rationale for areas where difference is vital. The current position of the Department for Education and Skills is a tension.

Question: How should we evaluate the costs and benefit of moving to a different form of devolution in Wales?

• More openness and transparency should enable better choices to be made. It is important that information is shared and use of technology should assist decision making.

Question: Is this an issue for you or your organization – if so what have been the practical problems and how might they be resolved?

• Funding is always an issue. The establishment of the Care Council for Wales meant a dissagregation of funding as a basis for a reconstitution which was undertaken in partnership.
• The clear example of the tensions is around the Sector Skills Council. The Department for Education and Skills required ‘UK structures’ which in governance terms do not reflect devolution. The Sector Skills Development Agency state that all funding to Sector Skills Councils are for UK initiatives yet there are examples of the funding being for England only initiatives.