§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes are planned to the structure of prison healthcare; and if he will make a statement. [103069]
559W
§ Jacqui SmithOn 25 September 2002, my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health announced that funding responsibility for prison health services in England was to be transferred from the Home Office to the Department of Health with effect from April 2003. The Prison Service funding currently used to provide health care for prisoners will be transferred to the Department of Health from April 2003.
This is the first step in a process aimed at devolving funding and commissioning responsibility for prison health services to primary care trusts (PCTs) by 1 April 2006. PCTs will then become responsible for securing all health services for prisoners in their areas. During the transitional period of the next three years, the majority of funding for prison health services will be passed back to the prison service for allocation through prison establishments to ensure continuity of services.