HC Deb 13 January 1992 vol 201 cc521-2W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to set national standards for community care;

(2) if he will extend the principle of the citizens charter to include the setting of national standards for community care.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It is for individual authorities to set standards on the service which should be provided. Extensive national guidance and advice is available to help them do this.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors will be taken into consideration in deciding the level of funding for community care in each local authority area.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It will be for each local authority to decide the appropriate level of funding for community care in its area, taking account of the available resources. The Government will take a view in the next local authority expenditure round of what is appropriate and affordable for the totality of local authority expenditure, having obtained the views of the local authority associations. This will include the sums to be transferred from the social security system to local authorities for community care. The White Paper, "Caring for people", set out the factors which will be taken into account in calculating those sums. Each social services authority receives a standard spending assessment (SSA) for personal social services comprising three separate elements namely services for children, the elderly and other adults. The way in which SSAs are currently calculated, including the factors taken into account, is set out in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England), a copy of which is available in the Library. The Government will shortly be having formal discussions with the local authority associations on whether any changes will be needed to the method of calculation of SSAs to take account of local authorities' new responsibilities for community care.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to make available ring-fenced funds for community care.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

No.