Local Government Finance Bill (Third sitting)

Kevin Foster Excerpts

Thursday 2nd February 2017 Public Bill Committees

[Mr Thomas]

Let us not go down that route. As I understand it, the hon. Members for Taunton Deane and for Somerton and Frome share a local care authority, Somerset County Council, which has cut social care spending by 6.2% in real terms. Northamptonshire County Council, which I believe the hon. Member for Northampton South knows well, has cut social care spending by 10.3% in real terms. Thurrock unitary authority, which serves the hon. Member for Thurrock and her constituents, has cut social care spending by 5.8%—a real-terms cut of 13.6%.

Of course, I do not want to leave out the hon. Member for Torbay. I understand that Torbay unitary authority plans to spend some £37.5 million on social care in this financial year, compared with £45.9 million in 2010-11—an 18.2% cut, or 25% in real terms.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

I suspect that the hon. Gentleman can guess what is coming. He has listed the figures but, as I said when I challenged him in the Chamber, we did not hear his party pledge more money two years ago.

[Mr Thomas]

I hope the hon. Gentleman will come up with some other lines. He would not want to be a one-trick pony. [Interruption.]

[Mr Thomas]

I gently remind the hon. Member for Torbay that one of the areas of spending that we were very clear about was local government. We said that there would be a £30 billion extra spend for local authorities.

[Kevin Foster]

No, you didn’t! That is nonsense.

[Mr Thomas]

The hon. Gentleman can go and look at the evidence: it is called the Labour party manifesto 2015. It brings back sad memories when I look at it, but perhaps it will help to correct him and guide him in making future interventions.