Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the future of residential care for people with complex needs including physical impairments and learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has made no assessment of the future of residential care for people with complex needs.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their populations and for providing or arranging social care services, including residential care, to meet eligible needs.

Local authorities have a responsibility, through good commissioning strategies, to ensure a healthy local care home sector. The new Care Act, which will come into force in 2015, will give local authorities a core duty to promote their local care market, with a particular focus on ensuring diversity, quality and sustainability. This will mean that there should be sufficient high quality services available to meet the needs of individuals in their areas.

The Care Act provides a new legislative focus on personalisation, increasing opportunities for greater choice, control and independence, so that people can choose the services best suited to meet their care and support needs.