§ Mr. Simon CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial provision she intends for community care.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI announced last year that the special community care transitional grant to local social services authorities in England would be834W £716 million for 1994–95 and £618 million for 1995–96. The grant will be increased by £20 million to £736 million in 1994–95 and by £30 million to £648 million in 1995–96. These increases will help local social services authorities to arrange for more home care and respite care. The special transitional grant is additional to the resources in general local government settlements which will be announced in due course. The grant will be phased out in 1996–97. In that year a further £418 million will be made available to local social services authorities to reflect the continued development of their community care responsibilities. The cumulative extra finance then available for local authorities' new community care responsibilities will exceed £2.2 billion in England.