Mr. Bernard Gloster:

I do not want to go into the specifics of any one provider. There are property ownership, property value, staff and capability issues. It is very difficult for us to take over a private nursing home and staff it to a public sector standard when doing so is unplanned. Going in when a nursing home fails and then keeping it running, as is normally expected, does not represent the best way to take a sector or part of a sector into public ownership. The usual position is that when safe intervention is required, we put a person in charge immediately. That person takes control of the nursing home, including the staff paid by the provider, runs it safely and manages it. The person usually helps the provider to wind down and liaise with other providers, nursing homes and families to determine what alternative arrangements can be made. It is rare enough that we would take over a nursing home and permanently keep it ourselves.