HC Deb 13 December 2001 vol 376 cc986-7W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to implement the Tilt report. [22088]

Jacqui Smith

The Tilt report was published on 22 May 2000. All 86 recommendations in the report were accepted by the Government and the implementation process is on-going. Some of the report's recommendations, for example the upgrading of the perimeter security of the hospitals, have a lengthy implementation time scale. Progress is being monitored by three of the Department's regional offices with a high security hospital in their area (North-West, London and Trent), and by the high security psychiatric services commissioning national oversight group.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the expenditure provided in 2001–02 to implement the Tilt report has been spent. [22087]

Jacqui Smith

£5 million of current expenditure funding and £38 million of capital expenditure funding has been provided centrally for 2001–02 to support the implementation of Tilt report recommendations.

The £5 million of current expenditure funding is to support the process of moving inappropriately placed patients out of the high security hospitals to more suitable accommodation. Agreement has been reached with the regional commissioners of high and medium secure psychiatric services about the split of the £5 million between regions, and an allocation will shortly be made to the lead commissioning health authority for each region.

The £38 million of capital expenditure relates to improvements to the physical security of the high security hospitals, particularly the upgrading of perimeter security that Sir Richard Tilt saw as being necessary in the interests of maintaining public safety. The funding was split, in line with estimated need, between the three Department of Health regional offices with performance management responsibility for a high security hospital.

Actual spend across the three hospitals as at the end of November 2001 was £8.4 million. It is estimated that financial year-end spending will be significantly greater than this amount but that there will be a carry over of spending planned for 2001–02 into 2002–03, particularly due to a delay in the perimeter security upgrading at Ashworth hospital arising from complications in obtaining planning permission.