European Year of Older People (Hansard, 1 February 1993)

§ Mr. Yeo

The Department of Health is funding the operation of a secretariat for the year (based at the headquarters of Age Concern England). The total costs for the period to 31 March 1994 are estimated at £291,000, to which the Department of Social Security is contributing £40,000. The Department of Health is also providing an officer on secondment to the secretariat at an annual cost of £18,000. The Department has set up an advisory group for the year, the costs of which currently stand at approximately £3,000, with a further £5,000 anticipated during the next financial year.

It is estimated that the costs of publicity for the year provided through the Department of Health information division will be approximately £135,000.

Grants for specific initiatives forming part of the programme for the year are being considered by a number of Government Departments. It is not possible at this stage to estimate the level of expenditure. The Department of Health has two part-time officers working exclusively in connection with the year at an aggregate annual cost of 65W £18,500. A substantial further, unquantifiable, level of staff input is being provided by other Government Departments.

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. Individual launch events were also held in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where additional programmes specific to these parts of the United Kingdom have been developed. The costs of these are being met principally by the Scottish and Welsh Offices and by the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland. Together with publicity materials for the year and other core support, this additional expenditure is expected to be in the region of £150,000 in total, with further unquantifiable costs.

The budget of the European Commission for the year is 7.5 mecu (approximately £5.9 million) to which the United Kingdom's contribution is approximately 17 per cent. before abatement.