§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the(a) timetable and (b) budget for his Department's consultation on the Public Health White Paper is. [158536]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health launched a consultation document entitled "Choosing Health?" on 3 March 2004. Consultation will close on 28 May. We will publish a White Paper in the summer.
The consultation process will be managed within existing budgets.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2004,Official Report, column 331W, on public health, when his Department's discussions with strategic health authorities will be concluded. [159129]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonDiscussions with strategic health authority directors of public health about local public health reports are on-going.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2004,Official Report, column 1697W, on Public Health Skills Audit, how the voluntary register is maintained; and what it contains. [159158]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe United Kingdom public health voluntary register is an independent register of public health professionals who can demonstrate that they meet the nationally agreed competencies to practise at specialist level in public health.
The register was established in May 2003 and is supported by all four departments of health in the UK and was commissioned by a multi-agency group 1067W consisting of the Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH), the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) and the Multidisciplinary Public Health Forum (MDPHF).
Further information is available on the register web site at www.publichealthregister.org.uk.