§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ring fence those resources his Department considers necessary for local authorities to meet the fees for those in residential and nursing homes either(a) to meet current demand or (b) the demand expected under community care.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo. It is for the local authorities to decide on the right balance between spending on residential, day and domiciliary services in the light of the needs of people in their area and, where they support people in homes in the independent sector, to negotiate fees with home owners.