European Year of Older People (Hansard, 17 December 1993)

§ Mr. Bowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has received about the success of the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations;
(2) what evaluation has been made of the impact of the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations;
(3) what plans she has to work with other Government Departments to take forward programmes and ideas arising from the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations.

§ Mr. Bowis
The year is widely regarded as having been successful, although no formal representations on the matter have yet been received. An evaluation exercise has recently commenced to identify the key achievements of the year and its implications for future work.

§ Mr. Bowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which programmes and events for the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations she has been directly involved.

§ Mr. Bowis
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been directly involved in a number of initiatives, including the launch of the year in the United Kingdom at the age resource awards in London last December, in the presence of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; an interview on BBC Television's "Primetime" in January with Lady Sally Greengross, director of Age Concern, England; opening the European year exhibition in the House of Commons in February; contributing to the regular news bulletin produced for the year; providing the foreword for a publication produced by sixth form students from the Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames; speaking at a reception hosted by Age Concern, England in October; launching the "Aging Well" pilot programme in November.
Other Ministers have also been present at a number of events during the year and, on behalf of the Secretary of State, I thanked participants at a finale event at St. Martin-in-the-Fields on 15 December, following which I hosted the closing reception.
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During the United Kingdom's presidency of the Council of Ministers, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State opened a major conference on health promotion and sickness prevention for older people. These issues have been taken forward during the course of the year, both at national and at European level.

§ Mr. Bowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total Government expenditure on promoting the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations in the United Kingdom; and what was Government expenditure on previous European years.

§ Mr. Bowis
The Department of Health has funded the operation of a secretariat for the year, based at Age Concern, England headquarters, at a total cost for the period to 31 March 1994 of £330,000, including a contribution of £79,000 from the Department of Social Security. The Departments of Health and Social Security have also provided officers on secondment to the secretariat, at an approximate cost to March 1994 of £18,000.
It is estimated that the costs of publicity for the year provided through the Department of Health information division will be in the region of £130,000.
The Department of Health set up an advisory group for the year, at an approximate total cost of £8,000. The Department has two part-time officers working exclusively in connection with the year at an aggregate annual cost of £18,500. A substantial further, unquantifiable, level of staff input is also being provided by staff in the Departments of Health and Social Security and elsewhere in Government.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health launched the United Kingdom programme for the year on 17 December 1992 in the presence of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. The Department of Health contributed approximately £14,000 to this event.
A number of other Government Departments have contributed to the promotion of the year by providing information and practical support for particular events. it is not possible to quantify the total costs.
Expenditure on previous European years is a matter for relevant Departments in each case.