§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by the Medicines Control Agency at each major salary grade; what the total wage bill of the agency is; what its total income is from(a) charges and (b) other sources; and what plans he has to submit the agency to (i) greater control, (ii) closer scrutiny and (iii) enhanced accountability. [84211]
§ Ms BlearsAt 31 October 2002 MCA had a total of 522.5 full time equivalent (FTEs) employees. These are analysed by grade as:
FTEs Integrated payband 1 127.6 Integrated payband 2 115.2 Integrated payband 3 110.6 Integrated payband 4 111.6 Senior civil service 57.5 Total 522.5 The salary costs of MCA are expected to be £22,248,000 for the year 2002–03. For the financial year 2001–02 MCA income from charges was £36,730,000. For the financial year 2002–03 the initial budget was set at £40,000,000. MCA's incomes comes entirely from charges so there are no other sources.
On 13 June 2002, we announced that the Medicines Control Agency would be merged with the Medical Devices Agency from 1 April 2003, with improved governance arrangements, including a new post of chairman and non-executive members on the board. The new agency will be called the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, CBE, has been appointed as its chairman-designate, following an open competition.