HC Deb 20 March 2002 vol 382 c440W
Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is towards acceptable travel distances between(a) maternity hospital services, (b) paediatric hospital services and (c) general hospital services. [41404]

Yvette Cooper

The Department set up a Maternity and Neonatal Workforce Group last year to examine the best way to provide high quality maternity services which will provide safe, effective, evidence based and accessible care to mothers and babies.

We are also committed to producing the acute module of the new children"s national service framework which will, among other issues, consider access to appropriate care and facilities for children.