§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement defining Government policy on the funding of hospices.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 10 November, 1989]: We regard the hospice movement as making an important contribution to health care. This valuable contribution is already acknowledged by the use made by some health boards of hospice services on a contractual basis and by the assistance given by other boards by way of financial support or provisions of supplies.
We wish to develop and foster the co-operation that already exists and to encourage the creation of new and stronger links between the public sector and independent hospices. We wish particularly to ensure that the development of hospices, and the improvement and extension of their services is not hampered by lack of funds. For this purpose with effect from 1 April 1990 we shall be increasing significantly the financial support available to the hospice movement to ensure that all hospices obtain support from public funds of up to 50 per cent. of their running costs.
We shall also be looking at other ways in which the hospice movement might be supported in the future in the light of the implementation of the policies which we have set out in our White Paper "Working for Patients".