Personal Social Services

HC Deb 02 February 2001 vol 362 cc326-7W

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the services listed as personal social services for the purposes of allocating money to local government through the Personal Social Services SSA. [148186]

Mr. Hutton

The personal social services standard spending assessment comprises sub-blocks for services for elderly people in residential care, services for elderly people receiving domiciliary care, services for other adults and services for children.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the money designated for intermediate care services in the NHS Plan has already been allocated; how much of this money was allocated to local government through the Personal Social Services SSA for 2001–02 to 2003–04 announced on 27 November 2000; and if he will make it his policy to guarantee that the money allocated to local government will be spent on the provision of intermediate care services as envisaged by the NHS Plan. [148187]

Mr. Hutton

Details of the funding of intermediate care and community equipment services were set out in a joint health service and local authority circular (HSC 2001/001—LAC (2001)1)) Intermediate Care, issued on 19 January 2001, copies of which are available in the Library.

In determining the personal social services settlement for 2001–02 to 2003–04, as part of the general settlement for local government, we took specifically into account the need for additional council investment in services that promote independence, particularly for older people. Special grants such as the promoting independence and carers' grants, and the performance fund will play a particular part in funding growth in services which deliver or support intermediate care. The increases in standard spending assessment for 2001–02 to 2003–04 announced following the spending review, and included in the local government settlement announced on 27 November 2000, are intended to enable councils to contribute to the expansion of these services. The deployment of resources made available through SSA remains a decision for councils to make in the light of local circumstances.