HC Deb 04 November 1999 vol 337 cc307-8W
Sir Peter Emery

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what provisions his Department is making to meet the recommendations of the royal commission on long-term care for the elderly; [96750]

(2) what action he has taken with regard to Sir Stewart Sutherland's report on the loss of funds for the elderly in long-term care. [96747]

Mr. Hutton

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) on 25 October 1999,Official Report, column 752.

Mr. Alan Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly people are living in long-term care; what proportion are responsible for paying the full or part cost of their care; and what is the average annual cost of looking after a person in long-term care. [96861]

Mr. Hutton

At 31 March 1997 there were 209,000 permanent residents in residential homes catering primarily for elderly people and elderly mentally ill people, and 154,166 people aged 65 and over in nursing homes. Permanent and temporary residents cannot be separately identified.

Information on the numbers of elderly people paying the full or part cost of their residential or nursing home care is not collected centrally. However, a 1996 personal Social Services Research Unit survey found that around 25 per cent. of elderly nursing home residents and around 30 per cent. of elderly residential care home residents are wholly privately funded. Other residential care and nursing home residents contribute towards the cost of their care, with the exception of National Health Service supported nursing home residents; however, any social security benefits they receive may be reduced.

Gross annual expenditure on residential or nursing care in homes for older people was £13,700 per supported resident in 1997–98.