HC Deb 08 September 2003 vol 410 cc171-2W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the prescribing budget is for the Chelmsford Primary Care Trust for the financial year 2002–03. [127462]

Dr. Ladyman

Audited information in respect of the annual financial position of all national health service organisations must be published in their individual annual accounts and should be available centrally in autumn of each year.

I understand that Chelmsford Primary Care Trust has already made public that it has allocated £13.664 million from its 2002–03 unified budget towards the anticipated cost of prescribing for its general practitioners.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what accumulated deficit has been identified by the Chelmsford Primary Care Trust for(a) the financial year 2002–03 and (b) the current financial year. [127487]

Dr. Ladyman

Audited information in respect of the annual financial position of all national health service organisations must be published in their individual annual accounts and should be available centrally in autumn of each year.

I understand that Chelmsford Primary Care Trust has already made public that it has identified a deficit of £805,000 for the financial year 2002–03 and the deficit for the first quarter of 2003–04 is £228,000.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to comply with Lord Laming's recommendations on child protection when formulating future star ratings for(a) hospital trusts, (b) primary care trusts and (c) mental health trusts. [127916]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The Government's response to the Victoria Climbié Inquiry report, to be published later this year, will set out the situation on performance assessment in the national health service.

Mr. Baron

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all NHS trusts offer to their nurses and key workers access to expert child protection advice and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and what mechanisms his Department has put in place to ensure that this requirement is being met. [127010]

Dr. Ladyman

This information is not collected centrally. However, I have asked the Commission for Health Improvement to assess child protection arrangements in the national health service and to report on the strengths and weaknesses of existing NHS arrangements.

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