Oral Answers to Questions

Lilian Greenwood Excerpts

Monday 28th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jones]

As I said in my previous answer, we are confident that a significant number of families have benefited from the programme, but the new programme will be subject to a more robust evaluation, particularly of its cost-effectiveness.

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

13. What steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate funding for adult social care.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)]

I fully recognise the pressures on adult social care, which provides a vital service to millions of people across the country. That is why the Government have provided extra funding for adult social care, with up to £3.5 billion available during this Parliament.

[Lilian Greenwood]

Yesterday, the former Health Secretary, Stephen Dorrell, commented on the Chancellor’s autumn statement, saying that it was “a mistake” not to provide extra investment in the social care system, which was “inadequately funded”. Last week, directors of social services said social care was “in real jeopardy”, and the Conservative leader of Warwickshire County Council said that

“it is no exaggeration to say that our care and support system is in crisis.”

The Minister says that he is providing extra money, but when are the Government going to wake up and provide the funds needed to prevent the whole system from collapsing?

[Mr Jones]

During the spending review last year, we consulted the sector carefully. We spoke with the Local Government Association, and looked at length at what it said. It said that we should have £2.9 billion of extra funding available for adult social care across this spending period, but we have provided up to £3.5 billion.