§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they can reconcile the statement at paragraph 453 of the Explanatory Notes to the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill that £22 million of set-up costs for the Commission for Health Audit and Inspection and the Commission for Social Care Inspection have already been allocated to the department with the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 8 September (WA 68) that parliamentary approval had not yet been obtained for £22 million for the set-up of new services by those bodies. [HL4438]
§ Baroness AndrewsThe Explanatory Notes paragraph 453 is incorrect in regard to the allocation funds. The Department of Health had earmarked resources within its existing departmental expenditure limit but the ability to incur such expenditure is dependent on parliamentary approval. The Written Answer I gave on 8 September at columnWA 68, reported that approval for the resources for the set up of the new services would be sought in a supplementary estimate and pending that approval, expenditure would be met by repayable cash advances from the contingencies fund which allows for cash advances to departments for expenditure on urgent services in anticipation of parliamentary approval.
§ Baroness Noakesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total amount of set-up costs expected to be incurred in respect of the Commission for Health Audit and Inspection and the Commission for Social Care Inspection in 2003–04. [HL4439]
§ Baroness AndrewsWe estimate that the total set-up costs for the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection to be circa £22 million.