§ Mr. Michael MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many booklets, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", are to be distributed; and to whom;
(2) what the quoted cost of £2.75 million for the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", covers;
(3) when the final proof was cleared for the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You";
(4) whether the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", is to be distributed throughout the United Kingdom;
(5) when the final text for the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", was approved.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyA total of 23 million copies of the booklet "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", were printed. After distributing one copy to each household in England, the remaining 1.5 million copies will be used to supply requests from multiple occupancy households, advisors and other ad hoc requests.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will be publishing their own information.
Versions of the booklet in nine ethnic minority languages are planned and will be available on request.
The final proof of the booklet was approved when it was clear that there was no reasonable prospect of changes to the Bill being considered by Parliament which affected the content of the booklet. Authorisation for the distribution of the booklet was not given until the Bill received Royal Assent. The text was approved, subject to any parliamentary changes, on 7 June.
The £2.7 million cost of the booklet includes the production, distribution and ethnic language versions.