§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the budget for IT in the NHS in each of the last five years. [42290]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 11 March 2002]There is not a specific budget for information technology investment. The majority of costs are met from the baseline allocations made via health authorities. Health communities then make their investment decisions based on local priority. These investments are not aggregated at a national level but have been estimated at £800 million per year—this estimate includes a very broad spectrum of costs including maintenance of finance and other administrative systems.
1148WSome new funds have been made available for specific targeted information management and technology developments—£113 million was hypothecated in 2001–02 and £82 million for 2002–03. These sums revert to baseline after one year.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts his Department has placed in the last two years or expects to place in the next two years for IT improvements in the NHS; and with which providers. [42291]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 11 March 2002]: Separate figures for IT improvements are not collated. The Department and the national health service organise contracts in such a way as to obtain both value for money and maintain local choice where appropriate. There are national contracts for major national infrastructure, central catalogue arrangements for mature products, and local procurements for many specific items, which need to be integrated with existing systems.