The BBC's Alison Holt: New national standards will be set for quality and costs of services provided

Publishing proposals for sweeping changes to social services, Health Secretary Frank Dobson confirmed that eight new regional Commissions for Care Standards will be set up to replace the current system of local authorities inspecting their own homes.

The new commissions will have the power to make surprise inspections on state-run and private residential homes to check on accommodation, food and hygiene.

Mr Dobson, announcing the changes in the Commons, told MPs the new system would "create a modern and dependable social services".

Philip Hammond: "The health secretary is one of the losers of the Queen's Speech"

He said: "Any decent society must provide for those who need support and are unable to look after themselves.

"It's in everybody's interests to make sure the services are there and working efficiently."

That objective was "not being met" by the present system, he said.

The government's aim is to provide a social services system for people that "promotes rather than diminishes their independence".

Each regional commission would have a Children's Rights Officer, to inspect children's services, safeguard children and "thoroughly investigate" allegations of harm or abuse.

Current social services training was not up to scratch, Mr Dobson said, so he was abolishing the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work and replacing it with a General Social Care Council to regulate everyone involved in social care, not just social workers.

Mr Dobson said he would be providing £750m to pay for the changes in social services, plus an extra £185m for mental health services and an extra £20m for staff training.

'Suspicious timing'

Responding for the Tories, Shadow Social Services Minister Philip Hammond questioned the timing of Mr Dobson's statement.

He said it was calculated to distract attention from the following Commons debate on constitutional affairs which "the control freaks and spin doctors in Downing Street" were trying to curtail.

Mr Hammond said Mr Dobson had been one of the losers in the Queen's speech legislation lottery, adding: "This much-delayed White Paper is little more than your consolation prize."

Biggest change for 30 years

The health secretary's reforms add up to the biggest shake-up of social services in England and Wales since the system was created more than 30 years ago.

The independent inspectors will be able to lay down demanding performance standards for homes and to close down those which fail to meet them.

Telephone hotlines will be set up to enable vulnerable people with complaints to contact inspectors directly.