§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will outline the new funding mechanism for the Health Education Authority;
(2) what plans she has to put out to tender in the private sector the work now being carried out by the Health Education Authority;
(3) what was the budget for the Health Education Authority for each of the last four years; what will be the level of funding for 1995–96; and what estimate her Department has made of the core funding for the Health Education Authority in 1996–97;
(4) what assessment she has made of the number of job losses that may result from the Government's announcement on the Health Education Authority's future.
§ Mr. MaloneTotal funding to the Health Education Authority in the last four years has been as follows:
£ 1991–92 31,427,000 1992–93 33,955,000 1993–94 36,194,000 1994–95 (to date) 36,984,000 In 1995–96, the authority will receive direct from the Department a sum similar to that for 1994–95. Thereafter, the authority's income will be derived from departmental contracts for services it wishes the authority to provide.
The staffing of the authority will be for the authority to determine in the light of contracts awarded. Both the 127W Department and the authority believe that the authority is well placed to maintain, if not increase, its current income, by better marketing of its products and an increased ability to respond to the needs of its customers.