Primary Care Trusts

HC Deb 01 April 2003 vol 402 cc691-2W

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the allocations per head of population to each primary care trust in England are for(a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [103766]

Mr. Hutton

Primary care trust revenue allocations per unweighted head of population in 2002–03 and per weighted head and unweighted head of population in 2003–04 have been placed in the Library.

In 2002–03 the Department allocated to health authorities which allocated to their constituent primary care trusts. The Department calculated 2002–03 unweighted primary care trust populations in preparation for direct allocations to primary care trusts in 2003–04. But 2002–03 weighted primary care trust populations were not calculated centrally.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role strategic health authorities have in ensuring that primary care trusts continue to commission the full range of specialist services. [105566]

Mr. Hutton

Strategic health authorities are responsible for the oversight and performance management of the commissioning arrangements by primary care trusts. This includes the arrangements for specialised services.