§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the contribution that full-time domestic carers make to care in the community.
§ Mr. BowisThe Government acknowledge the vital contribution to community care made by full and part-time carers. One of the key aims of our community care reforms is to ensure that service providers make support for carers a high priority. That is why community care funding for this year included an extra £20 million for respite and home care services, rising to £30 million next year. It is also why carers are involved alongside users when needs are assessed and plans made for them to be met and why we have encouraged local authorities to give carers the right to request that their own needs be assessed.