By Rachel Charman
Conservative MP for Southend West David Amess yesterday inquired into auditing spending on the end-of-life care strategy.
In Parliament yesterday, Mr Amess asked Phil Hope, Minister of State for Regional Affairs
“what plans he has to audit spending on the end-of-life care strategy.”
Mr Hope replied: “We attach great importance to improving end-of-life care.
“We know that most people would prefer to be cared for in their own homes, which is why in the next Parliament we will bring forward proposals on a right for people to choose to die at home if they wish.
“In the end-of-life care strategy, we made a commitment to monitor the £286 million of new money we were making available for implementation over 2009-10 and 2010-11.
“We have asked strategic health authorities and primary care trusts to report by 21 May this year on how they have invested the new money for 2009-10.”
Mr Amess continued “As the Minister may know, during this Parliament I was involved in a meeting on hospice funding with the Prime Minister, during which he praised the hospice movement.
“Everyone knows that hospices depend on charitable giving and volunteers.
“In light of that, have the Government made any assessment of the impact of the recession on the hospice network?”
Mr Hope responded “As the hon. Gentleman rightly suggests, the hospice movement plays a vital role.
“Many Members have in our constituencies hospices that do an excellent job.
“That is why the £286 million of additional funding to which I have just referred includes £40 million that is being made available to hospices through a capital fund in 2010-11.”
In related news, health secretary Andy Burnham yesterday ruled out legislation in the next parliament that would introduce a death tax to pay for social care for the elderly.
The tax, which received heavy criticism from the Conservative shadow chancellor George Osbourne, was highly controversial, and involved the Government taking 10% from all estates on a person’s death in order to fund end-of-life care.
Chancellor Alistair Darling confirmed during a live TV debate on Channel 4 last night that the tax has been dropped.
Mr Darling accused the Conservatives of walking away from an attempt at an all-party strategy on end-of-life care in attempt to score political points.
Mr Osbourne insisted that the Tories’ walk-out was genuinely in opposition to the death tax, and responded “I just do not think it is fair to have a 10 per cent death tax on people.”
In Scotland, a similar scheme has been in place since 2002.
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