Alison Holt: "Large number of scandals over past 20 years"

The government will unveil the complete reform of standards in areas ranging from the care of the elderly and children with disabilities to fostering agencies and residential homes for children.

The changes will be detailed in the Modernising Social Services White Paper to be presented to the Commons by Health Secretary Frank Dobson.

The BBC's Alison Holt: Inspectors will watch for any signs of abuse against the vulnerable

Mr Dobson said £3bn extra would go towards setting higher standards so the average became the best.

There was no point in spending money unless it was being spent where it was needed, the health secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Mr Dobson said: "What we need is a modern and dependable set of arrangements for social services, just like we're developing a modern and dependable set of arrangements for the health service."

Health Minister Frank Dobson speaking on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme

The health secretary said there was not much point in having care unless it was to a high standard.

Bad care or negligent care was "worse than useless", said Mr Dobson.

He added: "People seem to think to improve care you've always got to spend more money, I don't think that's is always the case.

"Doing things better isn't always more expensive than doing them badly.

Frank Dobson: The changes will be announced by Frank Dobson

"Indeed the catastrophic consequences of doing things badly is very very expensive indeed."

The reforms were also about restoring public faith in social services, he said.

At one time in everybody's life they would probably have to turn to social service, said Mr Dobson.

Social services were important to all of us but it was still important that adults were encouraged to live as independent lives as possible, he said.

After a series of high-profile scandals involving homes for vulnerable children and the elderly, the existing system of inspections by local authority social services will be scrapped.

It will be replaced by a network of inspectors with wide-ranging powers, based on the eight existing health authority regions.

A new Commission for Care Standards will have the power to set exacting minimum requirements for care and, most radically of all, be able to shut down failing institutions.

Other proposals contained in the paper include a new hotline for children and the automatic investigation of all alleged or suspected abuse.

The paper is a tacit government admission that the existing system does not work.

Mr Dobson wants to sweep away "dependency culture" in care services and "promote independent inspection, improve protection of the vulnerable and raise standards right across the country".

Under the old system, private institutions were inspected by their local authority, while local authority-run homes were not subject to regular inspection by any independent body.

Age Concern has condemned some care facilities for the elderly for neglecting individuals in their care.