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87.
Mr. Wray
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to increase the beds which will be needed in the residential and nursing care sectors for older people by the year 2000.
Mr. Dorrell
Our policy is to ensure diversity and choice in the provision of high quality services. Residential care may be directly provided by local authorities or secured through arrangements with the independent sector where this offers the best way of meeting care needs.The provision of continuous residential health care is a responsibility of the health service. The overall level and type of provision are matters for individual health authorities to decide in the light of local circumstances and patients' needs.