Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance the Government offers to local authorities on the effect of the provisions in the Care Act 2014 on the minimum number of residential care homes such authorities are required to offer.

The Care Act 2014 does not specify the minimum number of residential care homes authorities are required to offer.

The Care Act 2014 placed a duty on local authorities in England to promote a diverse, sustainable, high quality market of care and support providers for people in their local area.

We have given local authorities in England an extra £2 billion over the next three years to maintain access for our growing aging population and allow councils to sustain a diverse care market including care home places.

In addition the Government has announced we will consult on plans to improve the social care system and to put it on a more secure financial footing.