HC Deb 15 December 2003 vol 415 cc761-2W
Brian Cotter:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. [142481]

Ms Rosie Winterton:

The Department of Health does not use a central database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. Individual client groups within the Department keep in touch with organisations operating within their policy responsibilities, as appropriate, but these bodies would rarely include small businesses. If a small business interest was identified, the Department would arrange for consultation through the small business service of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Brian Cotter:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. [142489]

Ms Rosie Winterton:

There is not always a direct correlation between Government consultations and individual regulations. For example, there would not be a consultation prior to certain statutory instruments setting up a new primary care trust or transferring property between national health service trusts.

The Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultation came into effect on 1 January 2001. In the period 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2002, the Department of Health has published 124 consultations covered by the Code, of which 18 were less than 12 weeks.