HL Deb 20 October 2000 vol 617 cc108-9WA
Lord Clement-Jones

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is—

  1. (a) the total potential cost to the Department of Health of the provision of free personal care, as defined by the Royal Commission on Long Term Care, in both 1995 and 2000 prices; and
  2. (b) whether the Department of Health's proposals in response to the Royal Commission will have increased or decreased these costs. [HL4184]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The Royal Commission estimated the costs for the United Kingdom as £1,120 million at 1995–96 prices. This equates to £1,285 million at 2000–01 prices, using the gross domestic product deflator. The equivalent figures for England are £950 million and £1,090 million respectively. The total gross cost of the Royal Commission's recommendation on free personal care is unaltered by the Government's response to the Royal Commission, but various elements of the Government's proposals would have been costed by the Royal Commission within their estimate for free personal care.