Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with Suffolk County Council and care providers in Suffolk on the financial sustainability of community and adult social care services, in the context of increases in employer National Insurance contributions.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the Big Conversation on Care that she is leading is to hear from people, families, carers, charities, care providers, and other organisations with direct, real-life experience of the pressures facing the current social care system, so she can reflect those experiences in her recommendations for reform. That includes local authorities and care providers in different regions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that local authority commissioning rates in Suffolk take account of the impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on care providers.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the Big Conversation on Care that she is leading is to hear from people, families, carers, charities, care providers, and other organisations with direct, real-life experience of the pressures facing the current social care system, so she can reflect those experiences in her recommendations for reform. That includes local authorities and care providers in different regions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on the availability and continuity of community support services in Suffolk.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the Big Conversation on Care that she is leading is to hear from people, families, carers, charities, care providers, and other organisations with direct, real-life experience of the pressures facing the current social care system, so she can reflect those experiences in her recommendations for reform. That includes local authorities and care providers in different regions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures are available to support community and adult social care providers in Suffolk affected by increases in employer National Insurance contributions.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the Big Conversation on Care that she is leading is to hear from people, families, carers, charities, care providers, and other organisations with direct, real-life experience of the pressures facing the current social care system, so she can reflect those experiences in her recommendations for reform. That includes local authorities and care providers in different regions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on community and adult social care providers in Suffolk.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the Big Conversation on Care that she is leading is to hear from people, families, carers, charities, care providers, and other organisations with direct, real-life experience of the pressures facing the current social care system, so she can reflect those experiences in her recommendations for reform. That includes local authorities and care providers in different regions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on Local Government Reorganisation in Suffolk in financial years a) 2024/25 b) 2025/26 c) 2026/27.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As set out by the Secretary of State in her oral statement of 7 September, the government has withdrawn the March 2026 decisions for Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, and paused activity in a further 14 areas while a full review of the local government reorganisation programme is conducted. We recognise the need for clarity and will set out next steps as soon as possible. We also recognise that areas will have committed resources to reorganisation and ministers will consider this matter alongside the review.