HC Deb 16 January 1995 vol 252 cc318-20W
Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to(a) transfer responsibility for the monitoring and for the development of mental health policy from her Department to the NHS Executive and (b) divide responsibility for the monitoring and development of mental health policy between a health care and social care division within a restructed Department of Health.

Mr. Sackville

To help the Department of Health pursue its key objectives, it is being restructed into three main business areas—the NHS Executive, the public health group and the social care group. Each one is an integral part of the Department and will advise Ministers on the full cycle of policy development, implementation, monitoring and review within its field.

As now, business areas will co-ordinate the advice to Ministers which they take decisions. In the case of mental health policy, the NHS Executive will have an explicit responsibility to ensure that such advice is properly co-ordinated.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she has made to(a) "Creating Community Care", the report of the Mental Health Foundation inquiry into community care for people with severe mental illness, (b) "Finding a Place", a review of mental health services for adults, the report of the Audit Commission and (c) the memorandum to the Secretary of State for Health on the Mental Health Act 1983 submitted by the Mental Health Act Commission.

Mr. Bowis

Statements were published on 7 September and 26 October representing a response to(a) and (b). My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health replied direct to the Mental Health Act Commission and responded in a letter sent to her by the chairman.

Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount of the NHS budget allocated to mental health listed as totals for each hospital, unit trust, organisation and charity funded through the NHS.

Mr. Bowis

Information is not available in the form requested. I am not aware of any unit trusts involved in this area.