Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of residential and care home closures on the ability of local authorities to fulfil their statutory obligations to provide care.

High quality care is not just about care home beds. Of those aged 65 and over who need local authority support, 62% are cared for in their own home. Since 2010 there has been a growth in home care agencies of more than 3,140.

The total number of beds in care homes has remained broadly static since 2010.

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.