§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the basis on which he determined the relative allocations to tackle bed blocking to the social services departments of(a) South Gloucestershire Unitary Authority, (b) Bath and North East Somerset Unitary Authority, (c) Bristol Unitary Authority and (d) North Somerset Unitary Authority. [10801]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 29 October 2001]: All councils will receive additional funding, 55 councils received extra help. The decision on which councils received extra help was taken on the basis of the councils with the highest rates, and the most severe problems with delayed discharge. Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils all met these criteria, and have received extra help.
The table shows the allocations for these councils for 2001–02 and 2002–03.
£ County council 2001–02 2002–03 Bath and North East Somerset 467,938 985,350 Bristol 993,479 2,080,468 North Somerset 551,831 1,162,243 South Gloucestershire 468,324 990,292
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when extra funding for the relief of bed blocking will be available to local authorities; and from when can local authority social services departments commit extra funding under this programme. [11623]
§ Jacqui SmithAllocations in respect of 2001–02 were made to councils in the week beginning 19 November 2001. However, councils should have been committing the funding from 9 October, when it was announced.
Allocations for 2002–03 were announced on 8 January 2002.