FORTY-FIVE elderly people are facing eviction from Craven's nursing and residential homes.

The Craven Herald has reported how at least three local nursing homes have issued an ultimatum to North Yorkshire County Council, telling them to either increase the fees for elderly patients or find a new home for them.

The notices could be as little as 28 days, warned County Councillor Shelagh Marshall.

Skipton MP David Curry said the issue was now bigger than foot and mouth and has asked for an emergency debate in the House of Commons.

The issue was dominating his constituency surgeries.

"It really is a timebomb rolling down the hill towards North Yorkshire and it's getting near the bottom," said Mr Curry.

He said there were no villains as nursing homes had to meet increasing costs and the county council had not been allocated extra funds.

Mr Curry's concerns were raised at a meeting of Craven Primary Care Group.

Sue Mann of Age Concern North Craven told members that the number of people facing eviction could exceed the original estimate. "I think the situation could be even worse than first thought."

Coun Marshall said that money announced by the Government to tackle "bed blocking" could be used to subsidise resident's fees.

However she warned that the money allocated to North Yorkshire this year, £750,000, fell far short of the amount needed. "However this will enable us to open discussions again with the independent sector care homes," she said.

David Waddingham, Airedale's community health services manager, said the money from North Yorkshire go directly to nursing homes.

He admitted that there was nothing to stop nursing homes increasing their fees by the same amount as the subsidy.

He claimed the crisis had arisen through a lack of private care homes in Craven. "In this area we have a good social services and health infra-structure but a lack of private agencies which can come in and help when we are lacking," he said.

An emergency meeting of North Yorkshire County Council was due to be held yesterday (Thursday), and a meeting between the county council and the Yorkshire Care Homes Association is expected to be held today to discuss the situation.

Mr Curry, in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, said the phrase "crisis in nursing care in North Yorkshire" was no exaggeration.

"The situation can only worsen," he added. "Local authorities receive no Government support in respect of residents who place themselves in care but who then run out of money.

"The Government has announced money for health authorities which co-operate with residential and nursing homes to avoid bed-blocking.

But this measure does not address the key issue: the crisis which is caused by homes unable to operate on the fees the local authority can afford."