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Health minister Jacqui Smith admitted that there will be concessions in the final version of the national minimum standards for care homes for younger adults, during a House of Commons debate last week.

Smith said the limits on the numbers of residents in homes and how they are grouped together will be "modified accordingly", while standards on shared toilets and bathrooms will be looked at closely, including the possibility of extending time limits for compliance with the standards.

"In other words, we are willing to reconsider when people make a good case, but what still matters most is that service users live in as homely and comfortable an environment as possible," said Smith.

The draft standards suggested that new homes should accommodate up to 16 people split into two groups of eight. Existing larger homes are expected to comply by 2007. The aim is to organise establishments into friendlier environments.

But many of those who responded to the Department of Health consultation said the numbers were too low, particularly for homes working with young people who misuse substances. Sometimes, treatment of such people depended on groups of 10 or more residents living and working through their therapy together.

"The limits will rise, and there will be some extra leeway for shorter term stays," said Smith.

The draft standards also suggested one toilet for each two residents and one bathroom for three people, in both cases adjacent to bedrooms. Many people said the standards were too high, according to Smith, who believed a sensible compromise could be found.

Liberal Democrat MP for Northavon, Stephen Webb, who secured the debate, said there were concerns that the proposed standards may force smaller homes to close, because of the need to make adaptations and alterations that they cannot afford, such as providing more shared bathrooms and toilets.

He also called for flexibility in the interpretation of the standards, where there were good reasons for failing to comply. "There is a danger that in the laudable attempt to raise standards, we are over-prescriptive," he said. "The key question is how much discretion or flexibility the [National Care Standards Commission] inspectors will have?"

- National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Younger Adults and Adult Placements is available at: www.doh.gov.uk/ncsc/consult.htm