Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that social care providers provide value for money to (a) the public purse and (b) residents.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes working closely with local providers to achieve a balance of quality, effectiveness and value for money that ensures that people who draw on care have a choice of appropriate and high-quality care services in their local area.

To ensure high standards of care, local authorities are assessed by the Care Quality Commission in how well they are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014.