Written question asked by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Thursday, 10 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 April 2005. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Tuesday, 5 April 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the charity Sane following withdrawal of funding for 2004-05 concerning the effects of this withdrawal on the organisation.

Answer: Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the charity SANE following withdrawal of funding for 2004-05 concerning the effects of this withdrawal on the organisation. [221991] Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department and SANE have conducted a number of discussions regarding funding for SANELINE. The Department has paid SANE a total of £2 million in respect of the two year contract for the SANELINE service. The contract came 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. SANE is eligible to apply for Government funding streams aimed at the voluntary and community sector. The chair of the Mental Health Helplines Partnership (MHHP), of which SANE was until recently a member, has written to SANE offering the MHHP's support. The Department has indicated to the chair of the MHHP that it would offer advice and support to the MHHP in this matter.

Secondary information