HL Deb 12 February 2001 vol 622 c14WA
Baroness Jeger

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are able to increase contributions to the work of the hospice movement. [HL560]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

By 2004 the National Health Service will invest an extra £50 million to end inequalities in access to specialist palliative care to enable the NHS to make a realistic contribution to the cost hospices incur in providing agreed levels of service. What this means is that by 2004 the overall NHS investment in specialist palliative care services will match the overall contribution from the voluntary sector. This unprecedented increase in funding will be used to ensure greater cohesion between the efforts of the voluntary sector and the NHS.