Gentleman is as serious as he says he is about tackling coronary heart disease and improving cardiac care, I hope that he agrees that it was a fundamental mistake of the Government of which he was a member not to earmark a single penny piece for improvement in heart services. If he will make a statement about co-ordination of health and social services policy to support carers. The additional flexibility introduced by the Health Act 1999, together with the new powers to establish care trusts, will also lead to closer integration of health and social care. By 2003-04, an additional 75,000 carers will benefit from extra services. Given that the Conservative party has made no commitment to match the Government's commitment to social services spending, does my right hon.
Friend makes some important points.
It is worth quoting Diana Whitworth, the chief executive of the Carers National Association, on the publication of the recent national service framework for the elderly. That is just one example of the endorsement of the extra investment in financial support and services for carers that the Government have introduced. Friend is right to say that all that is threatened by the Conservative party's refusal to promise to match our investment in social services. What I can say to him and to other hon. Members is that the investment that the Government will make in support for carers, as well as that which we are making in intermediate care, provide the best guarantee of continuing good provision of community facilities for those who need care and respite care.