§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 25 March 1998,Official Report, columns 180–81, on the Access Committee for England, what factors underlie his Department's decision to end funding for ACE; when ACE was informed that funding would not be provided for the year 1998–99; and if the same procedures as used in the last two years for giving advanced warning of funding decisions by his Department were followed this year. [37850]
§ Mr. MilburnThe decision not to renew the Department's funding of the central administrative costs of the Access Committee for England (ACE) under 127W Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 from 1 April 1998 was taken following a recent inter-Departmental review of Government funding for ACE and was in accordance with our policy of time-limiting core funding for voluntary organisations. The decision was notified to ACE on 12 March 1998, at the same time as other voluntary organisations were notified of Ministers' decisions on their Section 64 grant applications. The usual procedures for the consideration of Section 64 grant applications were followed, and voluntary organisations were notified as soon as Ministers' decisions were reached.