HC Deb 02 March 2000 vol 345 cc414-6W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations he has had with patients and their families about the future provision of cleft lip and palate centres. [112730]

Mr. Denham

The Chief Executive of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA) was a member of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group that reviewed cleft lip and palate services. He is currently a member of the Cleft Implementation Group. Representatives of cleft support groups have been involved in proposals in all regions and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer attended the CLAPA's Annual General Meeting in October last year.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expert qualifications and experience members of his Clinical Standards Advisory Group have on cleft lip and palate. [112733]

Mr. Denham

The information is contained in Appendix A of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group on Cleft Lip and/or Palate (available in the Library) which lists the members of the CSAG committee established to look into this. The cleft committee was chaired by Professor John Murray, Dean of the Dental School at the University of Newcastle.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the members of his Department's Clinical Standards Advisory Group on cleft lip and palate. [112732]

Mr. Denham

The members of the sub group of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group which looked at cleft lip and palate services are listed in appendix A of the CSAG Report on cleft lip and palate services, copies of which are available in the Library.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals his Department is assessing as future cleft lip and palate centres; and when he will announce his decision on the future locations of such centres. [112731]

Mr. Denham

Decisions about the designation of specialist cleft lip and palate centres are matters for Regional Specialist Commissioning Groups, in accordance with the commissioning framework issued in

Region Chair
Northern and Yorkshire Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Health Authority
North-West Professor Maggie Pearson, North-West Regional Office
Trent Dick Stockford, Director of Policy Development, Trent Regional Office
West Midlands Henry Foster, Chief Executive, Dudley Health Authority
London John James, Chief Executive, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority
Eastern Chris Heginbotham, Chief Executive, East and North Herts Health Authority
South-East Mike Gill, Regional Director of Public Health, Eastern Region
South-West Tony Laurence, Regional Director, South West Region

the Health Services Circular HSC 1998/238, copies of which are available in the Library.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the members of the regional specialised services commission groups and the relevant sub-groups charged with taking forward the Government's plans for the future provision of cleft lip and palate services. [112729]

Mr. Denham

The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it should be noted that Regional Specialised Commissioning Groups (RSCGs) have been established in all the English health regions, and Regional Directors of the NHS are accountable for their performance. The chairs of the RSCGs are as follows: