Patients Forums: Finance

Mr. Laurence Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the money provided by her Department to county councils for the purpose of establishing and supporting local involvement networks will be ring-fenced; and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rosie Winterton
It is Government policy to devolve power to local authorities, which will make decisions on priorities according to local needs. For this reason we will not be ring-fencing the funds made available for local involvement networks (LINks), but will be making a targeted grant to each local authority with social services responsibility for the purpose of supporting LINk activities.