HC Deb 06 May 2004 vol 420 cc1796-7W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a staterr, ent on funding for hospices in the NHS. [169854]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The latest survey by the National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services indicates the National Health Service allocation in 2000 to specialist palliative care was £130 million, of which £65 million went to voluntary hospices and the remainder to specialist palliative care services provided by the NHS.

The Government subsequently pledged in the NHS cancer plan to increase NHS investment in specialist palliative care, including hospices, by an extra £50 million per annum by 2004. This pledge has been met and represents an increase of nearly 40 per cent. in the amount of funding provided by the NHS over 2000 figures.