§ Mrs. FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults with physical disabilities have been supplied with communication aids by community equipment stores in(a) 2001 and (b) 2002. [59753]
§ Jacqui SmithThe information requested is not collected centrally.
§ Mrs. FitzsimonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ring-fence funding for communication aids within extra funds provided for community equipment. [59751]
§ Jacqui SmithAdditional funding for community equipment services has been, and will be, distributed through increased baseline allocations to health and social services in the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. Provision for improving funding for communication aids is part of those increased allocations and there are no plans to ring-fence it separately.