HC Deb 25 March 2002 vol 382 c786W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates his Department has made of the total cost of making the provision of personal care for retired people free. [45508]

Jacqui Smith

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave my hon. Friend for Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 7 March 2002,Official Report, column 542W. In making estimates, we have assumed that only a small proportion of self-funders in residentaial care are of working age, so that the vast majority of the costs relate to older people.