A Chronology of State Medicine, Public Health, Welfare and Related ...

1980
1980 Magistrates' Courts Act (c.43) was a major act dealing with the powers and procedures
of the courts. See 1991.
Health Services Act (c.53) gave powers to the Secretary of State to make changes in
the local administration of the NHS, which led to the disbanding of the area health authorities
and the creation of 192 district health authorities in 1982 (see appendix 1 c). The act extended
the powers for grants to be made towards expenditure on services of common concern to
health and local government authorities (joint funding); and permitted health authorities to
raise money by local appeals. The act abolished the Central Health Services Council and the
Health Services Board, and repealed the provisions of the 1976 Act in regard to "pay beds" in
NHS hospitals. See 1990.
Education Act (c.20) strengthened the position of parents on school governing bodies;
relaxed the obligation to provide milk and meals; limited free school meals to children
receiving supplementary benefits or family income supplement; removed the obligation to
provide nursery education; and introduced parental preference for schools and assisted places
at independent schools. See 1988.
Education (Scotland) Act (c.44) dealt with all aspects of education and school
management including the school medical and dental services. See 1989.
Housing Act (c.51) introduced the "Tenants' Charter"; gave council tenants, with some
exceptions, the right to buy the houses they occupied; to sub-let part of their house; to take in
lodgers; provided security of tenure and rights of succession; amended the grants scheme for
renovation of houses and introduced new housing subsidies. See 1982 and 1984.
Social Security Act (c.30) amended the law relating to social security and pensions
appeals tribunals and removed the link between benefits and earnings. See 1986.
Social Security No. 2 Act (c.39) reduced or abolished certain benefits, and duties to
increase certain benefits. See 1982.
Local Government, Planning and Land Act (c.65) required local government
authorities to publish information about their finances and general performance; to be more
accountable for their direct labour organisations; and to prepare a register of unused land. The
act introduced urban development corporations, new controls on capital expenditure by local
authorities and a new form of block grants. See 1982.
Child Care Act (c.5) was a major consolidation of previous legislation concerning the
care and supervision of children and young persons under the age of 18 years. See 1986.
Foster Children Act (c.6) consolidated and amended previous legislation. See 1986.
Employment Act (c.42) introduced trade union ballots and codes of practice; banned
secondary picketing; and limited the number of people on picket lines to six. See 1982.
Residential Homes Act (c.7) consolidated legislation dealing with registration,
inspection and conduct of residential homes for disabled, old or mentally disordered people.
See 1984.
Water (Scotland) Act (c.45) set out the duties and powers of the Scottish Water
Authorities.
Milk (Special Designation) (Scotland) Order made pasteurisation obligatory for all
milk sold in Scotland after 1st August 1983.
The Personal Social Services Council abolished.
"Special Needs in Education", White Paper Cmnd.7996, set out the Government's
proposals following the report of the Warnock Committee (1978). See 1981.
The Department of Health and Social Security published a consultation paper, "The
Future Pattern of Hospital Provision in England", which proposed that less emphasis should