Local Authority Social Services Act 1970

2 Local authority to establish social services committee

(1) Every local authority shall establish a social services committee and, subject to subsection (3) below, there shall stand referred to that committee all matters relating to the discharge by the authority of—

(a) their functions under the enactments specified in the first column of Schedule 1 to this Act (being the functions which are described in general terms in the second column of that Schedule); and

(b) such other of their functions as, by virtue of the following subsection, fall within the responsibility of the committee.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order designate functions of local authorities under any other enactment for the time being in force as being appropriate for discharge through a local authority's social services committee other than functions which by virtue of that or any other enactment are required to be discharged through some other committee of a local authority ; and any functions designated by an order under this section which is for the time being in force shall accordingly fall within the responsibility of the social services committee.

(3) Matters relating to the discharge by a local authority of the following functions of the authority, that is to say—

(a) functions under section 22 of the [1946 c. 81.] National Health Service Act 1946 (care of certain mothers and young children) relating to the dental care of such mothers and children as are mentioned in subsection (1) of that section ; and

(b) any other functions under subsection (1) or (2) of the said section 22 specified in a direction given under subsection (4) below and for the time being in force, and any functions under section 12 of the [1968 c. 46.] Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 (prevention of illness and care and after-care of the sick) so specified,

shall not stand referred to a local authority's social services committee.

(4) The Secretary of State may direct that such of the functions mentioned in subsection (3)(b) above as are specified in the direction, being functions which appear to him to be mainly medical in nature, shall stand referred to the health committee of a local authority.

(5) A direction given under subsection (4) above may apply either to local authorities generally or to particular local authorities specified in the direction and may be revoked or varied by a subsequent direction so given.

(6) A matter which by this section stands referred to a local authority's social services committee shall not be included among the matters which stand referred to the authority's health committee under Part II of Schedule 4 to the National Health Service Act 1946.

(7) Section 33(2) of the [1948 c. 29.] National Assistance Act 1948 and Schedule 3 to that Act (establishment of committees or joint boards for the purposes of the functions of local authorities under Part III of that Act) and section 39 of the [1948 c. 43.] Children Act 1948 (establishment of children's committees of local authorities), shall cease to have effect.