Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will end the policy of imposing financial penalties on local authorities which do not meet targets on transfers of care.

No-one should stay in hospital longer than necessary. That is why we have invested an additional £2 billion over three years to support adult social care and reduce delayed transfers of care.

We will look at performance data in November, to identify the poorest performers and agree what action to take. Whilst this includes looking at financial allocations for 2018-2019, we confirm that this funding will remain with local government, and be used for adult social care.