I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Rt. hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) to Question 58219 on 9 January 2017.

The Department engages regularly with people with disabilities for example through its strategic partners programme. Last summer, the Department commissioned Think Local Act Personal to survey the views of those using social care, including disabled people, through their partner organisations as part of an ongoing evaluation of the Care Act 2014’s implementation. Think Local Act Personal are currently analysing the results of the survey for publication.

The Department of Health is working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Treasury, and the Cabinet Office on adult social care. Departments frequently work together on issues which affect multiple Departments and it is usual for the Cabinet Office to coordinate such work.

Social care is a means tested service. The Care Act 2014 requires that local authorities must assess any adult who appears to have a care and support need. Where a person has needs which do not meet the national eligibility criteria, as set out in the Care Act, their local authority must provide the person with information and advice on what support is available in the community to meet those needs.

The Autumn 2015 Spending Review announced that local authorities who are responsible for social care would have the ability to raise additional funding to spend exclusively on adult social care. If all local authorities use this to its maximum effect it could raise nearly £2 billion a year by 2019-20. 95% of local authorities have taken up the precept in 2016-17, raising £382 million extra for social care this year, in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast. In addition from 2017 the Spending Review made available new funds for social care services, rising to £1.5 billion by 2019-20. This will be made available to local authorities directly and is to be included in an improved Better Care Fund.

Social care is a means tested service. The Care Act 2014 requires that local authorities must assess any adult who appears to have a care and support need. Where a person has needs which do not meet the national eligibility criteria, as set out in the Care Act, their local authority must provide the person with information and advice on what support is available in the community to meet those needs.

The Autumn 2015 Spending Review announced that local authorities who are responsible for social care would have the ability to raise additional funding to spend exclusively on adult social care. If all local authorities use this to its maximum effect it could raise nearly £2 billion a year by 2019-20. 95% of local authorities have taken up the precept in 2016-17, raising £382 million extra for social care this year, in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast. In addition from 2017 the Spending Review made available new funds for social care services, rising to £1.5 billion by 2019-20. This will be made available to local authorities directly and is to be included in an improved Better Care Fund.

This is a matter for NHS England. Within its overall transformation resources NHS England has made an allocation of £450 million to Greater Manchester. Under the accountability arrangements established in its devolution agreement, the Greater Manchester Strategic Partnership Board will oversee the deployment of this funding to deliver the major change programme set out in its Health and Social Care Strategic Plan.

The Department and other national partners will continue to work with and support the National Health Service in Greater Manchester as the plans for its health and social care system are realised.

The Government welcomes the progress that has already been made.

We have made no such assessment.

The Government welcomes the progress that has already been made by Greater Manchester partners as they implement their ground-breaking devolution deal. The Department and other national partners continue to work with and support Greater Manchester as it realises its ambitious plans for transforming its health and social care system.

Discussions with Greater Manchester are ongoing. However there are currently no plans to devolve responsibility and funding for community pharmacies, under the Cities and Local Devolution Act 2016, to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.