To ask the Secretary of State for Health what elements she expects to be included in the new settlement in social care referred to by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Services in the web discussion for the Disability Rights Commission; what meetings (a) she and (b) her Ministers have had to discuss the new settlement, and with whom; whether a national consultation will take place on the new settlement; and when she expects the new settlement to be in place. (134693)

The Government have provided significant investment in local services, including in the area of social care, since taking office. Total government grant has increased by 39 per cent. in real terms since 1997 and this has delivered real improvements, with the Commission for Social Care Inspection reporting that social care services for adults have improved for the fourth successive year. We are committed to ensuring that local authorities can continue to deliver effective local services. We are working with local government representatives to identify future pressures on local authorities, and the ways in which these can best be managed, as part of the Comprehensive spending review (CSR) 2007.

As is normal in the run up to any Government spending review, the Secretary of State and her Ministers hold regular internal meetings to plan the new settlement.

The Government believe it is important that the 2007 CSR is informed by wide public debate on the long-term challenges facing the United Kingdom. Across Government, the public are being engaged on a wide range of issues related to the CSR. In social care, the consultation ‘Your Health, Your Care, Your Say’ provided an opportunity to hear the views of the public of the priorities for their local health and social care services.

As the Chancellor announced in Budget 2007, the CSR settlement will be published this autumn, and will set public spending levels for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.