Part I of the 1987 Act shall have effect, and be deemed always to have had effect, as if after section 5 there were inserted the following section—
(1)A local authority may provide in connection with housing accommodation provided by them (whether or not under this Part) such welfare services, that is to say services for promoting the welfare of the persons for whom the accommodation is so provided, as accord with the needs of those persons.
(2)The local authority may make reasonable charges for welfare services provided by virtue of this section.
(3)Notwithstanding the provisions of section 203, a local authority may attribute the income from and the expenditure on the welfare services provided under subsection (1) to a revenue account other than their housing revenue account.
(4)In this section “welfare services” does not include the repair, maintenance, supervision or management of houses or other property.
(5)The powers conferred by this section shall not be regarded as restricting those conferred by section 83 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (power to incur expenditure for purposes not otherwise authorised) and accordingly the reference in subsection (1) of that section to any other enactment shall not include a reference to this section.”
Schedule 15 to the 1987 Act (the housing revenue account) shall have effect, and be deemed always to have had effect, as if after paragraph 4 there were inserted the following paragraph—
Where in any year a local authority provide welfare services under section 5A, they may—
(a)carry to the credit of the housing revenue account an amount equal to the whole or any part of the income of the authority for the year from charges in respect of the provision of those services;
(b)carry to the debit of the account an amount equal to the whole or any part of the expenditure of the authority for the year in respect of the provision of those services.”
After section 5A of the 1987 Act there shall be inserted the following section—
(1)The Secretary of State may at any time by order made by statutory instrument provide that, on such day or in relation to such periods as may be appointed by the order, section 5A, this section and paragraph 4A of Schedule 15 shall—
(a)cease to have effect; or
(b)cease to apply for such purposes as may be specified in the order.
(2)An order under this section may—
(a)appoint different days or periods for different provisions or purposes or for different authorities or descriptions of authority; and
(b)contain such incidental, supplementary or transitional provisions as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient.”