To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) primary care trusts to nominate a lead person for carers’ services; and how many nominations have been notified to his Department. (196772)

Although the Department has not specifically required councils and primary care trusts to inform us when they have nominated a carer’s lead, we are aware that a significant number have done so since the publication of the White Paper “Our Health, Our Care, Our Say”.

We will consider how such appointments can be further encouraged in the work that is currently under way to revise the Prime Minister’s strategy on carers.