§ Mr. CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) individual care homes and (b) care homes associations are taking legal action against (i) local authorities and (ii) the Government owing to the Government's fee structure for care homes. [159931]
§ Mr. HuttonWe are not aware of any such action being undertaken by individual care homes or care home associations.
We do not set or recommend the rates at which local authorities contract with independent residential care and nursing homes. This is a matter for local decision. We think it is important that councils are able to tailor contracts to specific local circumstances. We do, however, expect contractual arrangements to take account of the costs incurred by independent sector nursing and residential homes.