§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the cost of providing a comprehensive service for the assessment and treatment of subfertility;
(2) what assumptions have been made of the cost of providing assessments and treatments for subfertility in the allocation of resources to health authorities.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe publication "Effective Health Care: The Management of Subfertility" contains estimations of the cost of providing a comprehensive subfertility service. This guidance was issued to health authorities on 28 September 1992, a copy of which is available in the Library.
Allocations to health authorities are made on the basis of the size, age, distribution and relative health of their resident populations. It is for district health authorities to decide their priorities in purchasing services to meet the needs of their resident population.