§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what information he obtained about the supply and demand of places in residential and nursing homes for the elderly before the setting of income support levels;
(2) what information he obtained about dependency levels in residential homes for the elderly before setting income support levels;
(3) what information he obtained about charges for extras in residential and nursing homes for the elderly before the setting of income support levels;
(4) what information he obtained about differences in staff costs between residential and nursing homes for the elderly before the setting of income support levels;
(5) what information he obtained about regional variations in charges in residential and nursing homes for the elderly before the setting of income support levels.
§ Miss WiddecombeA considerable amount of information, including all these issues, received from various interested parties as well as information from a survey commissioned by the Department, and carried out by management consultants Price Waterhouse, was considered before the income support limits were set for residential care and nursing homes. A copy of the Price Waterhouse report has been placed in the Library. Information about occupancy of homes is obtained from quarterly statistical returns.