§ Lord Pendryasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that ring-fencing will be provided for children's health within the National Health Service budget. [HL4704]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner)Children's health is an important priority for this Government. This is why we published the National Service Framework (NSF) on Children, Young People and Maternity Services on 15 September 2004 and have ensured that the Department of Health's public service agreement from the 2004 spending review contains targets on childhood obesity, child and adolescent mental health services, infant mortality and the under-18 conception rate. Implementation of the NSF is mandatory during its 10-year span.
However, we believe that funding should be allocated to the National Health Service with the absolute minimum of earmarking for specific services. This allows the NHS locally to make the right decisions on how to address local priorities while meeting national standards and targets.