’Elderly people depend on Meals on Wheels. They should reverse this decision.’

James Palmer, 76, looks forward to receiving his Meals on Wheels each week - and the chance to chat to the Age Concern driver who delivers them.

He was speaking as Health Minister Kate Beecroft was called upon once again to explain and defend her department’s decision to drop its £159,000 subsidy of the service. The contract will end in January

Mrs Beecroft said: ’We would be being quite reckless with taxpayers’ money were we to continue subsiding an organisation, where somebody is going to provide of the same quality with a comparable price.’

Speaking from his home on Clybane Road, Farmhill, Mr Palmer said: ’It’s very important. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I go up to Noble’s and have vegetable soup and a mug of tea which costs £4.50.

’Meals on Wheels costs me £14 for four days which is a very good deal, it’s money well spent.’

James said he has regular visits from his social worker but the chance to chat to the lady who delivers his Meals on Wheels on Thursday and Friday is an important part of the service.

He said he has been in touch with his social worker and the Department of Health and Social Care about the decision.

’Quite a lot of elderly people have been telephoning through, worried about this,’ he said.

’Some of them can’t get out of their home. It’s nice to have a chat to the driver. Elderly people depend on Meals on Wheels. They should reverse this decision.’

James, who has had a mechanical heart valve fitted, travels by bus to Noble’s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for his soup and a mug of tea. He makes his own breakfast each day and has soup or a sandwich for his evening meal.

But he really enjoys his Meals on Wheels four days a week. ’You get roast beef, roast pork, braised steak with vegetables, broccoli and carrots. For dessert I’ve had apple pie and custard, rice pudding or cake. It’s all very tasty.’

He explained the food arrives chilled and he warms them up in the oven. He said he is also worried that canteen staff at Noble’s will be made redundant as a result of the DHSC’s department to withdraw its £150,000 funding to Age Concern.

In Tynwald, Mrs Beecroft said she did not want to state in public who the alternate providers would be, as others may come forward.

She has pledged that information will be provided to the current Meals on Wheels users - believed to be more than 270 - before the end of the month.

The minister also said the scheme was not considered to be one of the DHSC’s ’front-line’ services, as there was no statutory obligation to provide it. She pointed out the department had not withdrawn a service, but had stopped a subsidy. That, however, did not satisfy Juan Watterson (Rushen), who said: ’Am I right in thinking the minister only considers front-line services to be statutory services?’

Mrs Beecroft said the department recognised it was an important service, but also that it was available from other providers.

David Ashford (Douglas North) expressed concern that Meals on Wheels service users were still waiting to be told of the alternative providers, with only seven weeks before the Age Concern service would stop.

The minister said there were several providers ’in the marketplace’ but added that others may come forward, whom she did not want to disadvantage by publicly stating the current providers.

She said she would be happy to circulate the list of alternate suppliers ’when it is complete’.

Mr Ashford pushed further about the short timescale for users to be given information, especially as the seven weeks included the Christmas period. He called for the list to be sent out ’sooner rather than later’.

Mrs Beecroft said: ’Those using the service will be given the list as it currently stands and will be told there will be others entering the market place.’

DAVE KNEALE