§ Mr. HoramTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will increase Government funding for children's hospices. [31309]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 1 February 2002]: Children's hospices have access to national health service funding, the level of which must be agreed by health authorities and primary care trusts following assessment of local options available to support children with life threatening illnesses, and their families. In addition children's hospices will be eligible to apply for funding from the New Opportunity Fund's children's palliative care grant programme later this year that will make available an additional £48 million for children's paediatric care.