HC Deb 31 March 1998 vol 309 cc460-1W
Ms Squire

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria for deprivation payments to GPs, with particular reference to the criteria used to decide the percentage of a GP's list attracting deprivation payments; and what reviews he has undertaken or plans of the criteria relating to that percentage. [36716]

Mr. Galbraith

For the purposes of the deprivation payments scheme in Scotland, the Jarman Index is applied to enumeration districts. Scotland uses 7 variables of the index: unemployment; numbers of elderly people living alone; household overcrowding; under 5s; single parent households; residents in ethnic minority households; and numbers who have moved house. The application of the index results in a score being given for each enumeration district which are then classified as areas of high, medium or low deprivation. A score of 50 or more indicates an area of high deprivation, 40 or more an area of medium deprivation and 30 or more an area of low deprivation. Each Health Board when calculating deprivation payments looks at each patient on a GP's medical list and pays the GP the relevant amount for the enumeration district in which the patient lives.

There are no plans to review the deprivation payment scheme in Scotland at present.

Ms Squire

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of deprivation payments to GPs; and what increases in that level are planned. [36717]

Mr. Galbraith

The estimated amount payable in respect of deprivation payments in Scotland for the financial year ending 31 March 1998 is £4.976 million. The estimated amount payable for the financial year 1998–99 is approximately £5.1 million.

Ms Squire

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums will be paid as deprivation payments to GPs in the(a) West Fife, (b) Central Fife and (c) North-east Fife localities in the forthcoming financial year. [36718]

Mr. Galbraith

The information requested is shown in the table.

Projected deprivation payments (£s)1 to GPs in Fife Health Board in financial year ending 31 March 1999, by locality
Total Payment by level of deprivation
Payment High Medium Low
Fife Health Board 257,738 66,369 74,166 117,203
West Fife 97,724 29,286 25,413 43,025
Central Fife 136,923 32,646 41,254 63,023
North-East Fife 23,091 4,438 7,499 11,154
1 Payments have been estimated using the number of patients as at 1 April 1997 in areas classified as deprived and the appropriate fees for 1998/99.