HC Deb 10 June 2003 vol 406 c847W
Mrs. Calton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he makes of bids for(a) grants and (b) contracts awarded by his Department (i) of the environmental impact and (ii) against sustainable development criteria; who makes the assessment; and whether they are published. [114505]

Ms Blears

In specifying contracts for goods and services, there is a requirement to take environmental issues embodied in the Department's sustainable development strategy into account. This strategy forms a key part of the Department's policies and operations. Assessment against specified criteria (including environmental and sustainable development) is carried out as part of the overall tender evaluation process. The sustainable development principles, on which criteria for individual contract evaluation is based, can be found on the Department's website.

Criteria for awarding research grants and those provided under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, and the assessment process, can be found on the Department's website.

The Department is working closely with the Sustainable Development Commission to explore ways of strengthening the links between health, health care and sustainable development. The overall aim is to embed sustainable development in the Department's policy objectives for health and social services.

Mr. Roger Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what remit relating to sustainable development is required by his Department's(a) executive agencies, (b) advisory non-departmental bodies, (c) executive non-departmental bodies, (d) tribunals, (e) public corporations and (f) other bodies. [116675]

Ms Blears

The Department's strategy on sustainable development reflects the Government's overall sustainable development strategy. The Department's strategy seeks to promote and encourage sustainable development principles throughout the Department and the national health service, including those agencies and other bodies for which the Department has responsibility.

Departmental agencies and other bodies may draw up their own sustainable development strategies. For example, the Department's NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) has recently published its new sustainable development policy. This is available on the PASA website at http://www.pasa.nhs.uk/environment/

Progress on Department of Health sustainable development activity can be tracked on the Department's web page at http://www.doh.gov.uk/ sustainabledevelopment.