§ Mr. SteelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government will fund centrally Tranx (UK) Ltd, the national tranquilliser advice centre, to prevent its imminent closure due to funding problems.
§ Mr. FreemanBetween 1983 and 1986 Tranx (Harrow) received grants of over £90,000 from the Department's central funding initiative. At the time, it was made clear that these grants were for a maximum of three years and that once central funding ended, organisations would need to look to their local statutory authorities for continued support. For the last three years Tranx (UK) has been funded by the North West Thames regional health authority and the London boroughs grants unit (LBGU). But earlier this year when Tranx (UK) was experiencing financial difficulities, the Department, exceptionally, made a further £10,000 available to clear the organisation's deficit in 1988–89.
Discussions on future funding of Tranx (UK) are still in progress with a variety of potential funders. No decision has yet been reached, but we hope that Tranx (UK) will be able to continue its work with tranquilliser dependents.