HC Deb 21 November 1997 vol 301 cc344-5W
Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many, and which NHS hospitals contracted out bereavement and mortuary services to the private sector in the years(a) 1994, (b) 1995, (c) 1996 and (d) 1997; [16711]

(2) how many and which, NHS hospitals plan or have announced plans to contract out bereavement and mortuary services. [16710]

Mr. Milburn

[holding answer 19 November 1997]: The National Health Service Executive market testing database has no record of any NHS trust contracting out its bereavement and mortuary services in 1994, 1995 and 1996. In 1997, one NHS trust, the Central Middlesex Hospital, contracted out its bereavement and mortuary services (but not its bereavement counselling).

The database has no record of any other NHS trust planning to contract out bereavement and mortuary services.