§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that local health authorities meet the Government's target of 50:50 funding for children's hospices; and if he will make a statement on the future of children's hospices. [4549]
§ Mr. BowisThe 50:50 target is no longer relevant, since funds have been built into health authorities' cash allocations to enable them to decide the level of funding required to meet the needs of their resident population for hospice services. Childrens' hospices are now able to benefit from health service funding through the contracts health authorities and general practitioner fundholders can make with service providers in both the national health service and the voluntary sector.
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§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to encourage local health authorities to provide childrens' hospices with regular financial payments. [4547]
§ Mr. BowisWe have funded a £5 million programme of pilot projects over five years to determine the type of services of most benefit to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The projects include services provided by childrens' hospices. The evaluation of the programme will help health authorities and general practitioner fundholders contract for the range of services necessary to meet the needs of locally resident children and their families.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average percentage of childrens' hospices' incomes derived from local health authority contributions. [4548]