Madam, I am sorry if my last letter was in any way obscure. As your correspondent CJ Kent says, the quality of care delivered by the staff at the Chestnuts has long been recognised as excellent, and I have always shared that view. I greatly regretted not being able to attend the protest, which was held at very short notice, but I made sure that local councillors were going to be present and sent my apologies.

As I described in my last letter, I and my team worked hard behind the scenes during the rent negotiations to try to bring the Council and the Trustees together in a workable settlement.

To bring the matter up to date: now that all residents have been re-homed my focus has been on protecting the staff. I met last week with many of the staff and Trustees. At my urging the Council has put into writing a commitment not to insist that the Chestnuts pay for any delapidations to the building, which may mean that funds will be available to pay departing staff at least some of what they are owed. This work continues.

Jesse Norman MP