Advice, strategy and standards

1Supported Housing Advisory Panel

1

The Secretary of State must appoint a panel of persons, to be known as “the Supported Housing Advisory Panel”, to provide information and advice about or in connection with supported exempt accommodation to—

a

the Secretary of State,

b

local housing authorities in England, and

c

social services authorities in England.

2

The persons appointed under subsection (1) must include—

a

at least one person who appears to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of registered providers of social housing in England,

b

at least one person who appears to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of local housing authorities in England,

c

at least one person who appears to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of social services authorities in England,

d

at least one person who appears to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of charities providing supported exempt accommodation, and

e

at least one person who appears to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of residents (or potential residents) of supported exempt accommodation;

but the Secretary of State is not required to appoint different persons under each of paragraphs (a) to (e).

3

The Secretary of State must, after complying with subsection (2), and after consulting the existing members of the panel, appoint a person to chair the panel, and the person becomes a member of the panel on appointment.

4

The Secretary of State must comply with subsections (1) to (3) before the end of the period of one year beginning with the date on which this Act is passed.

5

The panel—

a

must provide information or advice on such matters within subsection (1), to such persons within that subsection, as the Secretary of State may direct, and

b

subject to that, may provide such information or advice within subsection (1), to such persons within that subsection, as it considers appropriate (whether or not requested to do so).

6

A member of the panel is to hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms and conditions of the member’s appointment which—

a

must include provision requiring the member to declare any financial or other personal interest relevant to the functions of the panel, and

b

may include provision under which the member is paid remuneration or allowances.

7

A person appointed to the panel under subsection (1) or (3)—

a

is to be appointed for a term not exceeding five years, and

b

may, upon expiry of that term, be reappointed for one further term not exceeding five years.

8

In this section “information and advice about or in connection with supported exempt accommodation” includes information and advice about anything which, in the view of the panel, could have a significant impact on the provision or regulation of supported exempt accommodation.