§ Sir David SteelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if Her Majesty's Government will make more funds available to health authorities for the purposes of providing contraceptive clinic services.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIn the future, as now, it will be for each health authority to decide on the most appropriate financial arrangements for family planning provision. Under the NHS reforms, district health authorities will be responsible for ensuring that patients have access to a comprehensive range of services and this will include family planning. Guidance issued by the Department on the provision of family planning services was recently reaffirmed in a letter (EL(90)MB115) to regional general managers by the director of operations and planning on the NHS management executive. A copy of the letter is available in the Library.