HL Deb 28 November 2001 vol 629 cc53-4WA
Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 13 November (WA 73):

  1. (a) how much was invested by the National Health Service in information management and technology in 2000–01;
  2. (b) how much is planned to be invested in each of the years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04; and
  3. (c) against what baseline the National Health Service Plan target of an extra £250 million invested in 2003–04 is to be measured. [HL1551]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Figures of total spend on information management and technology in the National Health Service are not recorded separately.

£000s
Resources. Capital
Change New DEL Of Which Voted Non-voted Change New DEL Of Which Voted Non-voted
617,391 48,344,111 48,923,590 -589,479 150,957 2,239,291 254,195 1,985,096

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from the take up of end year flexibility £359,377,000 (£9,000,000 administration costs) as set out in Table 6 of the Public Expenditure 2000–01 Provisional Outturn White Paper Cm 5243 published in July 2001.

Transfers of provision from the Home Office of £21,173,000 (£400,000 administration costs) mainly for the National Treatment Agency and drug treatment services and research. A net transfer from the Scottish Executive comprising an increase of £1,188,000 (£128,000 administration costs) for contributions to the cost of non-departmental public bodies, committee, the high security infectious disease unit, HIV surveillance funding and post-graduate medical education, offset by £819,000 for out of area treatment costs. A net transfer from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions of £4,950,000 (£5,100,000 of which £100,000 administration costs) mainly for the teenage pregnancy unit, offset by £150,000 for mobility centres. From the Office of Government Commerce £50,000 for Avonbridge House. From the Office of Science and Technology £45,000 (administration costs) for a contribution to the Human Genetics Commission. To the Department for Education and Skills £4,097,000 for education health partnerships and educational advisers. A net transfer from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs The future investment will vary according to local plans and priorities; these will be funded from both new targeted funds and existing baseline.

The new investment is aimed to speed up local implementation. The sums are separately identified within allocations and their spend against plan is monitored in the Service and Financial Framework process.