§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public bodies were operating in the health service in 1997; how many are operating; what plans he has to review their number and purpose; and if he will make a statement. [150212]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is shown in the table.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced to the Health Select Committee on 30 October 2003, his intention to review the Department's executive non-departmental public bodies, special health authorities and executive agencies. We want to ensure that the roles of these bodies are in line with current expectations and that the oversight of front-line health and social services is kept to an acceptable minimum. We expect that the review will reach its conclusions by the middle of this year. National health service trusts, strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and advisory and tribunal non-departmental public bodies will not be part of the review. Executive agencies, of which the Department has four, will be included.
1 June 1997 1 January 2004 Executive NDPBs1 7 8 Advisory NDPBs 42 37 Tribunal NDPBs 3 3 Health authorities2 100 n/a NHS trusts 402 275 Special health authorities 13 22 Strategic health authorities2 n/a 28 PCTs3 n/a 304 Other NHS bodies 2 0 Total 569 677 1NDPBs = non-departmental public bodies 2Health authorities were replaced by strategic health authorities from April 2002 3PCTs (Primary Care Trusts) were introduced from April 2000, most on 1 April 2002, and cover smaller populations than did health authorities.