§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for each Social Services Department his estimate of the additional funding which will be made available this winter; [14592]
(2) if he will list by health authority the dates at which the social services departments within each authority were invited to make applications for additional funding to assist with managing pressures over this winter, indicating the deadlines they were given for completing their funding applications. [14597]
§ Mr. BoatengAn additional £300 million has been made available for the health service in the United Kingdom this winter. Details of the allocations process in 433W England were set out in Executive Letter EL(97)64, copies of which have been placed in the Library. This letter asked health authorities to draw up plans for using the additional resources to improve services, in consultation with trusts, general practitioners and social services departments, by 31 October. These plans were to be agreed by the regional offices of the National Health Service Executive by 7 November. Details of the allocations to health authorities will be made public once they are available.