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Personal Care at Home Bill

I think there is some common ground between the hon. Member for Eddisbury and me. I agree that this measure must, at some point in the future, be swept into a more comprehensive and consensual package. I also believe that that comprehensive package must include some sort of asset protection scheme for those who go into residential accommodation, although I do not favour the scheme suggested by the Conservatives. The hon. Gentleman said that the Bill had been dreamt up by the Prime Minister at short notice and cleared in time for a conference speech. I do not know whether that is true, but I do know that the Conservatives' response in the shape of their proposed asset protection plan was dreamt up in the seven days following the Prime Minister's speech, in time for their own party conference.