COST OF PROVIDING FREE PERSONAL CARE

Early day motion 230, tabled 8 December 2003 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 44 members.

That this House supports the position statement put forward by nine members of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care in September 2003 reaffirming their 1999 recommendation that both nursing and personal care should in principle be free at the point of use, in both residential and domestic settings; notes the statement by the Royal Commissioners that 'There are no overwhelming resource impediments to the implementation of the Royal Commission's recommendation'; further notes that the ú1.1 billion gross annual cost of free personal care is modest in relation to the benefits that would accrue to older people, their families, carers and to the public as a whole; welcomes the decision of the Scottish Executive to implement the Royal Commissioners' proposals; and calls on the UK Government to implement the proposals in the rest of the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 30, Liberal Democrat 6, DUP 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Conservative 1, Independent Ulster Unionist 1.