Lords: Monday Questions House of Lords

Bridgend were patches are afraid it is to ensure that they refldct and

increases in the cost of living they are operated angularly aligned

with the consumer prices Index CPI figure, this is the segment of the

Department for Work and Pensions users to upgrade and Social Security

disability benefits and is hn keeping with other public sdrvice

schemes. Our approach ensurds consistency with the measurds of

inflation used by the bank of England, were patches will decrease

when the annual CPI figures next increases. The government ddserves

credit for shunning the Armdd Forces covenant and law. I'm sure the

entire house endorses the sdcretary to said in the latest report, we

have a duty to ensure our sdrvicemen and women are treated fairlx. In

days, his department published a written statement entitled war

pension scheme operated 2016. There is no upgrading. What pensions have

been frozen for two years. But the Minister agree that what pensions

should be treated the same `s someone like me, who is in receipt

of a state pension and as a result of the triple block, is guaranteed

to increase every year? And that the defence secretary said, we have a

duty to ensure our servicemdn and women are treated fairly and no more

so than those who have been injured in serving our country. It hs

important to make clear that despite its name, and what a simple and

pension is not a state penshon, it is a form of compensation for

disablement and or injuries. Cost by service to the country, it hs

tax-free, it is payable in `ddition to state retirement pension,

pavements are set at a highdr rate than similar disability bendfits and

it is also the case that most were pensioners at retirement agd will be

in receipt of both pensions. The war pension scheme and close related to

employment, so the angel upgrading so should be related to earnings

inflation and not price inflation. With the Minister to the Hotse what

would be the cost to the trdasury to would be the cost to the trdasury to

think the war pension schemd to earnings and not impatient? Another

head, without calculation to answer the question, I am not award the

treasury has done so. The principles should be clear here, under the

compensation scheme and the war pension screen the Mets gamd, they

are assessed on the level of visibility, based on the assessment

they are compensated for thdir damned loss of earnings and civilian

employment. After that, the principle is that the return of

purchasing power of the age,old patent should be maintained and it

is therefore indexed to the consumer Price Index, which is the index

applied by the DWP to all dhsability pensions. Patches are losing value,

in comparison to military and civilian. -- pensions. It is

inexplicable that a disabled comp rats cannot have -- comrades, and of

backside, Terry this case... We are not all added together the triple

pension. Members of the Armdd Forces pension. Members of the Armdd Forces

will benefit from the tripld block. I do think there are broader issues

to be considered here, one hs that maintaining parity with Sochal

Security disability benefits is in principle the right thing to do

Secondly, that is the affordability issue as a government, as a nation

also we have to stick with the long-term economic plan and we have

to continue to live within our means. Surprised there are no

conservatives wanting to defeat -- arriving. To defend our servicemen,

prepare to go along to me a break, but when it comes to it the Minister

gave it a way. He said the word affordability. These are people who

we must afford to uphold thd benefits and pensions, otherwise we

are not honouring the memorx of the people who have died and served our

country soap well in the past. - soap well. We do. They are not

disadvantaged. Can a ministdr to me what the position is... Of the world

Windows -- war widows, who `re in the same position,... Candid

minister assured me that thd wonderful change brought in where

widows can marry again without losing pensions, is affected in any

way or will remain as it is now And change was introduced, as the 1st of

April of last year that those who are up with old and had a w`r widows

pension can keep that pension with are not they enter into a stbsequent

marriage, but as regards cases that fall before that cutoff point, and

has been the policy of succdssive governments that changes or

improvements to all public service pension schemes should not be

applied retrospectively, so there are no plans to reinstate w`r widows

pensions where widows who'vd read marry between 1973 and 2005. Those

who have already submitted the pension due to breathe marrhage

cannot thought to have their attention to restore for life. -

remarriage. On Saturday, 210 gets ago, Lord Nelson was put in the

crypt at St Paul's and said that when he died, he would have lack of

progress in grades on his hdart We now have 13. -- frigates. Does the

Minister said that he will be disappointed but that it will we

ordered the new forgets to replace the ones that are ageing? I think

that is another question. M`naging provide effective as a local

responsibility. I cannot colment on the finances of individual

providers, but Care Quality Commission has oversight of the

larger providers. I'll supply a local authorities would wonders if

one of the businesses were to fail an activity to cease allowing time

for plans to be implemented. The Department of Health will

co-ordinate any national response. I thank him for his response, but

disappointment that cannot be more reassuring for the follow-up double

result from the collapse of major and small providers in the care

industry. The problem is wider than four stages give it the rishng of

care that is postponement of the care cap and the ability of local

authorities to increase these rising cost and a man. Affected 31,000 for

a leave patients who had to be. . Surely the Minister recognises this

and then needs to be about ` government strategy to ensure the

financial sustainability of the sector and it with the huge scale of

causes that what happen unldss funding problems are addressed. The

collapse of Southern Cross hnto 2011 but the main reason why the less

government to oversee government oversight responsibilities which

will give early warnings of any failures of any large... Ophnion is

worth noting that the LGA bdlieves 95% of local authorities have

contingency plans ready to implement. The former health

minister called for a cross party commission to review future funding

for helping care services in this country. With the Minister `gree

that we have to start talking now honestly and openly about what

standards of help that people can expect, now and in the future, and

the idea that a commission to look in that and, with a strong

recommendations tend to be ` rather good idea? Can he comment on whether

he agrees? The idea of the commission has been discussdd in

number of times in this house that I have think is coming up on the

debate on Thursday. I will save now that the government and the spending

review is enabling local authorities to increase their preset by 2% and

increasing their contribution to the Better Care fund by 1.5 the imp

which will see a real incre`se in the resources available for adult

social care. -- 1.5 billion. When he agreed that in certain circtmstances

of provide a fair, what is really important that residents residents

maintaining their existing homes and that in fact during the Southern

cross incident, that was achieved in the majority of cases and is often

possible to separate the gohng concern basis of individual homes

and commercial situation of the providers at home? I fully `gree

residence and the homes, not there residence and the homes, not there

to prop up a provider. That is a entirely different matter. Hn the

event that Southern Cross the date go, very few homes close as a result

of that at the time. Can I `sk if the Minister is working with the

Department of Health to enstre the new financial instrument whdre an

individual can invest in a single room and a care home for a

guaranteed rent, protected tser of that from as much as it provides any

yield for the investor, and then student sector shown that this is a

mixed result. Students can be run elsewhere, elderly care presidents

have nowhere else to go, and their protection could be affected if

investors have to move out puickly. I cannot see what the questhon is

coming from. The instrument that my friend, I am not fully briefed on

this matter. I'll have to rdsearch it and get back to her. Does the

Minister agree that the four seasons, which is the subject of the

question is only one of the groups facing a financial crisis? Ht is

estimated that by 2020, there will be a funding gap of three Mhlken

pounds for the residential care sector and social care groups want

the Chancellor of this before the item statement. -- 3 million. At the

government any long-term pl`n for funding and improving social care or

is a committed to solutions and for saying it's a matter local

authorities? It is a matter for local authorities, but the

government and he spent the review are making available in othdr ? .5

billion for the Better Care fund and allow local authorities to raise

special preset of 2%. I think the oversight divisions of CTC cover

some 45 providers which covdr some 20% of the market, it is intended

that will give early warning to local authorities of a likely

collapse. The minister confhrmed that anybody who has to card package

funded by local authority is entitled to alternative provision,

anybody who is a self-funded and under the law is entitled to only

advice, if the government t`king set for local authorities to brhng

ensure that people and their families are aware of exactly what

they are and how to meet with the event that the care home were too

close? As up to local authorities to have contingency in place. @s I

said, the local government `uthority had indicated that 95% of local

authorities have their plans in place. The demise of the care home

residents of the problems f`ced by southern cross were dealt would vary

significantly by the rest of the care home sector, activation of the

happening was a robust condhtion. Can the Minister reassure us that

the care home sector is currently an equally robust condition?