HC Deb 12 December 2002 vol 396 cc496-7W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent since 1997 on mental health services for children, broken down into budget headings. [86461]

Jacqui Smith

This information is not collected centrally. However, our estimate for likely expenditure on mental health services for children in 2001–02 is in the table.

We recognise that much still needs to be done to improve child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). On 16 October, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that CAMHS would receive an additional £140 million over the next three years through increased grants to local authorities. This will help build capacity, improve access and, together with new national health service investment, help deliver a comprehensive CAMHS for every area.

CAMHS HS
£million
HCHS 289
PSS 269
Total 558

Notes:

1. Hospital and community health services (HCHS) costs exclude the costs of primary care and drugs.

2. Personal social services (PSS) costs include children's social services (CSS) costs where appropriate.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of local social services departments have agreed a joint strategy for allocating mental health grants with local child and adolescent mental health services; and if he will make a statement. [86469]

Jacqui Smith

Our information is that all health authorities and local authority social services departments have complied with the statutory requirement (notified in a Department of Health circular of May 1999) to work together to produce joint three-year development strategies to deliver the child and adolescent mental health services objectives set out in national priorities guidance 1999–2002. Targeted central funding of £85 million was provided to help support these developments, including £35 million in the form of grants to local authorities.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the budget for child and adolescent mental health services in the financial years 2000–02 was spent on mental health services for children. [86471]

Jacqui Smith

Budgetary information on local child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is not collected centrally.

Targeted funding for health and local authorities provided centrally to help support their joint CAMHS development strategies is expected to be spent for the purpose for which it is allocated.