HC Deb 22 July 2004 vol 424 cc644-5W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been available in each of the last seven years for part-time trainee doctors; and what has been budgeted for the future.[185406]

Mr. Hutton

The funding of medical training salary costs is resourced through a central overall funding allocation that makes no distinction between full-time and part-time trainees. The distribution of funding between full-time and part-time training at local level is the responsibility of the respective strategic health authorities (SHAs). No figures are held centrally for the local breakdown of resources; the total funding provided to SHAs in 2004–05 was £3.8 billion.

In addition and to support the introduction of the new contract, funding of £7 million in each of the years 2002–03 and 2003–04 was exceptionally provided to support the salary costs of part-time trainees. This was during a short period when new pay rates for full-time trainees were being progressively introduced and new part-time salaries, introduced in full in one step, were high by comparison; this is no longer the case.

£000
Department NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency NHS Pensions NHS Estates Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Medicines Control Agency Medical Devices Agency
1997–98 6,592 47 422 536 241
1998–99 5,814 48 689 577 208
1999–00 7.080 53 1,129 872 271
2000–01 7,295 524 67 1,477 674 171
2001–02 7,972 579 72 1,343 704 177
2002–03 7,607 635 46 1,510 711 161
2003–04 8,211 662 54 1,496 978 219