HC Deb 01 December 1994 vol 250 cc825-6W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals were used for the care of mentally ill people before the introduction of care in the community; how many of these properties have been sold; what have been the total sums raised through the sale of such property and land; how much of this has been re-invested into care in the community; how many sales are still pending; what is the estimated value of such sales when realised; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Bowis

Care in the community of mentally ill people has been steadily introduced since the 1960s. The information requested is not available centrally.

Mrs. Lait

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department expects to have concluded ids consideration of the second report of the National Audit Office on the implementation of community care.

Mr. Bowis

I understand that the Audit Commission, which monitors the implementation of community care by local authorities, plans to publish its second bulletin on progress with community care shortly.

Mr. Congdon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she proposes to make an announcement on the future of the Government's community care policy.

Mr. Bowis

We have today announced the Government's plan to bring the total extra resources for community care to more than £2.5 billion by 1997–98.

I am also today publishing indicative allocations showing each English social services authority's share of the special transitional grant for community care in 1995–96. As last year, the whole of the STG is being distributed on the basis of personal social services standard spending assessments. Authorities have until 13 January 1995 to make representations about their proposed allocations. Copies of the circular are being placed in the Library. The total STG for 1995–96 will, as previously announced, be £647.6 million.

Mr. Congdon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends to retain the 85 per cent. condition associated with the special transitional grant for community care.

Mr. Bowis

The Government remain fully committed to a flourishing independent sector able to offer diversity, choice and value for money. We will therefore retain the condition on the special transitional grant for community care in 1995–96 whereby authorities must spend 85 per cent. of the social security transfer element—some £440 million in all—on community care services in the independent sector. The condition will be framed in a way that such independent sector spending in 1995–96 must be in addition to previous such spending in 1994–95 and 1993–94 plus one half of such spending in 1992–93.