§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the allocation of investment to health authority budgets for oncology drugs. [118324]
§ Yvette CooperFunding for oncology drugs is not identified separately within allocations made to health authorities. Improving cancer services is one of the National Health Services top priorities for action, and health authorities and primary care groups will need to take this into account in allocating resources.
We have made clear in a letter to all health authority chief executives that the extra £600 million allocated to the Health Service for 2000–01 will, in part, be used to meet any additional costs arising from implementation of recommendations by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.