§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures have been put in place to ensure correct billing of licence fees by the HFEA; [80691]
(2) what measures have been put in place to ensure that the National Audit Office can establish satisfactory audit procedures to confirm the accuracy of the licence fee income which should be collected by the HFEA. [80692]
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§ Ms BlearsFrom April 2002 the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) changed from an annual to a monthly invoicing system for the fees paid by licensed centres. Under this new system the invoices issued each month are based on the number of patient treatment cycles reported to the HFEA in that month, making the reporting and the invoicing easier to reconcile. In addition, the HFEA will visit all licensed centres by the end of 2002–03 to ensure that the centres are recording all the treatments they have undertaken in their monthly returns to the HFEA. The National Audit Office is continuing to monitor developments, working with the HFEA to establish how it will be able to rely on the results of these visits in order to draw conclusions on the accuracy and completeness of income due to the HFEA.
§ Clive EffordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospital trusts provide parking spaces for their employees; and whether they are provided(a) free of charge and(b) subject to a charge. [80804]
§ Mr. HuttonNo central record is kept of whether national health service trusts provide car parking spaces reserved for employees. Where car parking is provided it is a matter for the NHS trust whether or not to make a charge using their powers to generate additional income to better provide the health service.