§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list in the Official Report the money allocated to each community health council by regional health authorities, giving the total amount, the amount per head of the population served and the precentage increase since the previous year;
(2) what advice his Department has given to regional health authorities regarding the funding of community health councils;
(3) if he will instruct regional health authorities to review their expenditure on community health councils in relation to the work expected of their staff and members; and if he will introduce national guidance for setting community health councils' budgets annually.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe do not collect current information about the allocation to individual community health councils centrally. We do collect information about actual expenditure by councils retrospectively and I will let the right hon. Member have the most recent available figures, with the analysis requested, as soon as possible. Health circular HC(81)15 gives guidance to regional health authorities on the funding of community health councils, and a copy has been placed in the Library. We have no plans to issue further guidance.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what has been the level of his Department's support for the Association of Community Health Councils for each year since its inception in 1977;
(2) if, in the light of the information he has now received and the financial difficulties faced by the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales, he intends to restore the provision of regular grants to the association.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales has received the following grants from our Department:
Financial year £ 1977–78 33,000 1978–79 43,000 1979–80 57,000 1980–81 66,300 1981–82 76,000 1982–83 25,500 1983–84 Nil 1984–85 15,000 The payment in the current year is a contribution towards eliminating the Association's accumulated deficit and was made on the basis that the association continue its efforts to put its finances on a sounder footing. In view of its remaining difficulties, I again met representatives of the association on 4 July, and I requested more detailed information about levels of expenditure and income. I am now considering that information.
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§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will take steps to ensure that his Department and all health authorities consult community health councils and the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales about matters of interest to National Health Service users;
(2) if, in future, his Department will consult the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales when publishing information about the National Health Service for the benefit of patients and members of the public;
(3) on how many occasions since May 1979 his Department has consulted the Association of Community Health Councils; and on what issues.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe consult the association and individual community health councils routinely on matters of interest to users of the National Health Service, including the publication of information for patients and members of the general public. Health authorities are required under the National Health Service Act 1977 to consult community health councils on certain matters. We have also advised authorities that we expect them to make every effort to consult councils in good time on all matters of interest to them.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make funds available or deploy Government information services to make the work and functions of community health councils better known to National Health Service patients and members of the public.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeCommunity health councils themselves should do this. However our Department takes opportunities to foster the work of community health councils, for example through official publications and reports and through leaflets for the general public and patients.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from community health councils, hon. Members and national organisations in relation to the provision of central Government funding for the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe have received representations from four community health councils, two regional organisations of community health councils; 44 hon. Members; and from three national organisations, including the association itself.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what lines of communication will exist in future between community health councils and the new management structure within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe have no plans to change the general lines of communication between community health councils and health authorities, but the Health arid Social Security Bill provides for a more direct relationship between community health councils and family practitioner committees.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what examination he has made of the budgets of the community health councils to see whether they are able to provide sufficient funds through their subscriptions to sustain the Association of Community Health Councils at a reasonable level of effectiveness.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe subscription agreed at the recent annual general meeting of the association is only the equivalent of less than 2.5 per cent. of the budget of the average community health council in England and Wales.