I WOULD advise Roy Perry, leader of Hampshire County Council, not to get too excited about the £2billion “boost” for social care.

As has already been pointed out, the cash was to be phased in over three years and individual authorities do not know how much they can expect to get. More to the point, since the Government was forced to back down over its proposed increase in National Insurance contributions, we do not know where the money is coming from and nor do they or, at least, they’re not saying.

We should be on the alert for alternative fundraising measures to fill the gap, being sneaked in with minimal publicity. There is also mention of Philip Hammond’s commitment not to increase the “so-called Death Tax on estates”, but the imminent huge hike in probate fees will have the same effect.

The Government has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted to keep its promises but what is more alarming is its apparent ignorance of the commitments in its own manifesto, its failure to explain how the Budget Statement was approved by Theresa May and its incompetence in dealing with the fall-out.

Karen Barratt

Winchester