Written question asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative) on Wednesday, 9 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 April 2005. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 April 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the impact on services provided by Sane of changes in central government funding over the next three years.

Answer: Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact on services provided by SANE of changes in central Government funding over the next three years. [216433] Ms Rosie Winterton: Currently, the Department has made no formal assessment of the effectiveness of SANELINE service. The Department has paid SANE a total of £2 million in respect of the two-year contract for the SANELINE service. The contract comes to an end on 31 March 2005. SANE is seeking additional unqualified payments because it alleges that some of the payments were delayed. The Department will continue to seek to resolve this matter with SANE. The chair of the Mental Health Helplines Partnership (MHHP), of which SANE was until recently a member, has written to SANE offering the partnership's support. The Department has indicated to the chair of the MHHP that it would offer advice and support to the partnership in this matter. SANE is eligible to apply for Government funding streams aimed at the voluntary and community sector.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 432 c1560W;432 c1556W; 216433
Session: 2004-05
Subjects: Finance Mental illness Mental health Telephone services Saneline SANE
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk