§ Mrs. CaltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the methodology used to derive the 2002–03 allocation as indicated in the document entitled "Improving Social Services for Older People". [28289]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 15 January 2002]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
All councils received additional funding through the Building Care Capacity Grant. The 55 councils with the highest rates, and the most severe problems, with delayed discharge received extra funding. The extra funding to these councils reflected the rate of delayed discharge in that council's area in summer 2001.
The same criteria were used to distribute the £190 million available for councils through this Grant in 2002–3.