Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) make a comparative assessment of the adequacy of respite support for carers in (i) England and (ii) Northern Ireland and (b) publish the findings from that assessment.

We have no plans to make an assessment. However, we will invest up to £25 million to improve the support provided to unpaid carers in England. We expect this funding will identify and test a range of new and existing interventions, which could include respite and breaks, peer group and wellbeing support. We will also work with the sector, including local authorities, to explore different models of respite, how respite services are accessed by carers and any barriers which carers may experience in accessing these services.