§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the costs to(a) the Government, (b) hospitals and GPs' surgeries and (c) local authorities, of connections to the Internet for hospitals and GPs' surgeries to date; [71987]
- (2) which companies have carried out connections to the Internet for (a) hospitals and (b) GPs' surgeries free of installation charges; how many connections have been made in each case; and if he will publish the terms under which such connections have been made; [71991]
- (3) how many and what percentage of (a) hospitals and (b) GPs' surgeries have been connected to the Internet free of installation charge to date; [71989]
- (4) what steps he is taking to monitor the terms under which free connections to the Internet for hospitals and GPs' surgeries are being made; and if he will make a statement; [71992]
- (5) what is the average (a) capital and (b) annual running cost per link to the Internet for (i) hospitals and (ii) GPs' surgeries; and if he will estimate the range within which such costs fall. [71986]
§ Ms JowellDirect connection to the Internet by hospitals and general practitioners' surgeries is a matter for individual agreement between the National Health Service user and the Internet service provider. No information is collected or held centrally on the number of capital and running costs of such links.
A secure route to the Internet is available for hospitals and GPs' surgeries through the NHS's own intranet, NHSnet, and the additional cost of this service is between £340 and £400 a year for each NHS organisation. The costs of these connections are met by the individual NHS user organisations.
§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many times he has met representatives of BT to discuss Internet connections to hospitals and GPs' surgeries; [71988]
(2) what representations he has received from (a) BT, (b) other service providers, (c) hospitals and GPs' surgeries and (d) local authorities on Internet connections. [71990]
§ Ms JowellMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met representatives of British Telecom to discuss Internet connections to hospitals and general practitioners'352W surgeries, nor has he received representations from BT, other service providers, hospitals and GPs' surgeries or local authorities on Internet connections.