§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is available within his Department for helping the victims of serious road accidents; and if he will make a statement. [109534]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department does not allocate specific funding for serious road accident victims.
It is our policy, within the framework set out in the NHS Plan and the 'Shifting the Balance of Power' initiative, to devolve funding decisions to the front line. It is now for primary care trusts, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet 663W national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services, based on the specialised knowledge they have of the local community.