House of Lords written question – answered at on 2 February 2011.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ring-fence the funding of respite care.
We have no plans to ring fence the £400 million new funding we are making available to the National Health Service over the next four years. It is this Government's policy to enhance freedom for local government and primary care trusts (PCTs) as far as possible by reducing the ring-fencing of monies, freeing up resources to concentrate on local priorities and the delivery of essential frontline services. The operating framework for the NHS in England 2011-12 states that,
"the Spending Review has made available additional funding in PCT baselines to support the provision of breaks for carers . PCTs should pool budgets with local authorities to provide carers' breaks, as far as possible, via direct payments or personal health budgets. For 2011-12, PCTs should agree policies, plans and budgets to support carers with local authorities and local carers' organisations, and make them available to local people".
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