National Care Standards Commission

HC Deb 16 July 2002 vol 389 cc213-4W

Clive Efford

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the amounts taken from local authorities to fund the National Care Standards Commission. [69170]

Jacqui Smith

The Department has received six letters regarding the amounts taken from local authorities through the standards spending assessment (SSA) to fund the National Care Standards Commission.

Before deciding to transfer local authorities net expenditure on registration and inspection from the national SSA we consulted local authorities. This method of transferring funds was supported by most local authorities. However, as a result of the comments we

received we reduced the amount of the transfer. We believe the adjustments made represent a fair way of deciding what to deduct from local authority budgets.