§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is in relation to the level of fees paid by688W the public sector to private sector nursing homes for care of the elderly; and if he will make a statement. [28869]
§ Jacqui SmithIn our recently published agreement with the statutory and the independent social care, health care and housing sectors—"Building Capacity and Partnership in Care"—we make clear that contract fees should not be set mechanistically but should take into account the legitimate current and future costs faced by providers as well as the planned outcomes for people using services.