HC Deb 24 January 1991 vol 184 cc289-90W
Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the name, address and telephone number of each national health service trust.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been given with regard to the charging by national health service trusts of local authority social services departments for services currently provided freely by local health authorities.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

No guidance is being given to trusts on systems for charging local authorities for services. The powers for national health service trusts to charge for services are no different from the powers which continue to be available to health authorities. Health services to individual patients remain free at the point of delivery. Local authorities remain responsible for determining charges to clients for social care which they arrange or provide.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy towards national health service trusts who may wish to make direct community care provision.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

National health service trusts can enter into contracts with district health authorities for the provision of any health service including community health services. National health service trusts may make direct community care provision for local authorities if they wish, bearing in mind that the funding of such provision is subject to section 7 of the Health and Medicines Act 1988.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements have been made for national health service trusts to purchase the services of hospital-based local authority social workers.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Local authorities will provide hospital social work services to national health service trusts on the same basis as to the rest of the hospital and community health services.