Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Glindon Excerpts

Tuesday 17th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lansley]

It is staggering, isn’t it? In 2010-11, the NHS budget was set by the right hon. Gentleman, not by us. The final accounts for 2011-12 will not be published until the autumn. I wish he would just get up at the Dispatch Box and admit that over the course of this Parliament the coalition Government will increase the NHS budget in England by 1.8% in real terms, which is £12.5 billion in cash, whereas the Wales Audit Office has said that a Labour Government in Wales will cut the NHS budget over the same period by 10% in real terms.

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

2. What steps he is taking to bring forward legislative proposals on the funding of social care.

[Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab)]

15. What steps he is taking to bring forward legislative proposals on the funding of social care.

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Paul Burstow)]

The draft Care and Support Bill contains clauses that support our commitment to introduce a universal deferred payments scheme and a national eligibility threshold. We have set out our intention to base a new funding model on the principles of the Dilnot commission model and we will take a decision in the next spending review.

[Mrs Glindon]

Last week the Secretary of State dismissed the concerns of Labour MPs about councils being hard pressed to find funds to implement any of the proposals. The Local Government Association stated that there was no money. Will the Minister now commit to legislation in this Parliament to sort out the funding of social care at local level?

[Paul Burstow]

It does not need legislation to sort out the amount of money that goes into social services; it does need legislation, however, to put in place a universal deferred payments scheme. We have made it clear that we will fully fund the commitment that we have already announced and we will work with the Local Government Association and others on its detailed design and implementation.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon Burns)]

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that question. As he knows, any proposals for service changes will be subject to the Secretary of State’s four tests and a full three-month public consultation across south-west London, which I am sure the right hon. Gentleman and his constituents will take part in. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be more than happy to meet him to discuss the matter further.

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

T8. In the north-east region, there is one neuromuscular care adviser providing dedicated specialist care and support for more than 3,000 people with muscular dystrophy and associated conditions. Will the Minister give assurances that care advisers will continue to be funded and commissioned at specialist NHS Commissioning Board level so that they can carry on supporting community teams across the country?

[Mr Burns]

I give the hon. Lady that assurance. Specialised commissioning will be carried out through the NHS Commissioning Board.