HC Deb 31 October 1996 vol 284 cc198-9W
Sir Ivan Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the extent of the failure of compliance of Staffordshire county council with the requirement in each of the last three years that 85 per cent. of special transitional grant for community care should go to private sector homes; what action Her Majesty's Government are proposing to take as a result; and if he will make a statement. [1050]

Mr. Burns

The independent sector condition attached to the special transitional grant required local authorities to spend at least 85 per cent. of the Department of Social Security transfer element of the grant on community care services purchased in the independent sector. The audited figures for 1993–94 show Staffordshire county council expenditure in the independent sector of £6.439 million compared with the minimum requirement of £7.958 million, thus failing the requirement by £1.5 million. The Secretary of State exercised his discretion not to require the repayment of the grant after taking account of the representations made by Staffordshire. In 1994–95, its expenditure in the independent sector amounted to £17.618 million, falling short of the minimum requirement of £18.166 by £0.5 million. No decisions have yet been made on the consequences of this failure. Audited figures for 1995–96 will not be available until 31 December.