§ Mr. Cousinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what budget the Newcastle district health authority has for AZT in 1987–88; and if he will make additional allocations available for AIDS and haemophiliac treatment to Newcastle as he has recently done to some district health authorities in London.
§ Mr. NewtonThe allocations to which the hon. Member refers have been made to regional, not district, health authorities. It is for Newcastle health authority to decide what budget allocations to make for particular drug treatments, in the light of competing demands for available resources. The hon. Member may wish to write to the chairman of the authority directly for the information required. We have already made additional allocations totalling £104,000 for the haemophilia reference centre at Newcastle so that it can provide specialist counselling on HIV infection for haemophiliacs and their families. We have also made an additional allocation of £95,000 to the Northern regional health authority this year for a pilot AIDS community support centre in Newcastle and for an AIDS training workshop for nurses.