Southern Cross Care Homes

Jack Dromey Excerpts
Tuesday 12th July 2011

(13 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Paul Burstow Portrait Paul Burstow
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There is an undertaking that the TUPE regulations would apply: there would be a transfer on the current conditions. That is what all the staff have been told, and I am certainly happy to repeat the undertakings that have been given by those responsible for those undertakings.

Jack Dromey Portrait Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab)
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Shameful speculation brought Southern Cross to its knees, but local authorities will now have a key role to play in rescuing the homes of 31,000 people in a year when, according to Age UK, the social care budget is being cut by 8.4%. What discussions has the Minister had with the Department for Communities and Local Government, because it cannot be right to ask local authorities to accept public responsibility for a private failure and to deny them the necessary resources?

Paul Burstow Portrait Paul Burstow
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As I have made clear, given the current stage of the announcements on this solvent restructuring, we appear to be in a position where the scenario the hon. Gentleman asks about will not come to pass.