§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agencies his Department has created since May 1997; what their purpose is; and how many staff each employs. [127504]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department has created two executive agencies since 1997. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency was set up on 1 April 2000, with staff transferred from the Department of Health. The agency's purpose is to modernise and improve the performance of the national health service purchasing and supply system, and become and centre of expertise, knowledge and excellence on matters of purchasing and supply for the NHS. The agency negotiates national contracts for the benefit of the NHS in England. The agency has 314.5 whole-time equivalent members of staff.
The Department created the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on 1 April 2003 following the decision to merge the Medicines Control Agency and the Medical Devices Agency. The MHRA is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices in the United Kingdom. It also represents national interests in the regulation of these sectors at European level. The number of staff employed by the MHRA as at 1 April 2003 was estimated to be 644.