London Lighthouse (Hansard, 8 April 1998)

§ Ms Jowell

We are aware of the decision by the London Lighthouse Council of Management to recite the Lighthouse's day care and other support services for people with HIV and AIDS in new premises from September 1998 and that this will involve the closure of its residential unit and the sale of its Lancaster Road building. This option was identified following extensive discussions between London Lighthouse and Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority to identify a viable option for restructuring the Lighthouse's services in view of the financial difficulties it faces. The Lighthouse, like many other HIV and AIDS voluntary organisations, has been responding to changes in service requirements for people with HIV and AIDS which have been identified through local needs assessment and the need to maximise value for money, and, more recently, taking into account the effects of combination therapies, results from which so far are very encouraging in delaying the progression of HIV and the onset of AIDS.

I have met twice with the London Lighthouse to be advised about its position and I welcome the work which the London Lighthouse has done with Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority to identify an option which seeks to safeguard the London Lighthouse's day care and other support services. Work is in hand to identify the practical implications of this option. Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster have agreed in principle to provide transitional funding to support the option, subject to public accountability requirements and a robust business case which meets the necessary financial conditions.

The Lighthouse has made a valuable contribution over the years to raise awareness and change attitudes to HIV and AIDS, and has continued to play a national role in the development of policy and services for people with HIV and AIDS in changing circumstances created by new treatments. I have agreed in principle to repeat its grant of £150,000 for 1998/99, bringing the total financial support provided by the Department over the years to the Lighthouse to more than £4 million.