Consequently, the maximum fee levels set in 2005 will continue to apply for 2008-09 and any shortfall in the Care Commission’s costs as a result of this decision will be met by the Scottish Government. 

Under the Regulation of Care Scotland Act 2001, which set up the Care Commission to register and inspect all care services, ministers set the maximum regulatory fees for care services covering their registration and inspection, the variation or cancellation of a registration and the issue of a new registration certificate. 

Robison said: "Yesterday, we published our response to the Carer Review, which included the work of the Care Commission. I take the opportunity to reiterate that the Scottish Government is committed to developing a scrutiny landscape that provides for the public, a simplified and more coherent approach to delivering scrutiny. 

She said that while detailed plans on how best to achieve this will be announced this summer, in the meantime she said she had decided that “it would not be appropriate to place a further burden on care service providers by increasing maximum regulatory fees." 

She added: "For most care services this means there will be no change in the fees that they pay to the Care Commission."