Written question asked by Evan Harris (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 28 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 February 2002. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 February 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been allocated to each health authority for silicone cosmesis from the funding for 2001-02; and how much has been spent. - Inc figures.

Answer: Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated to each health authority for silicone cosmesis from the funding for 2001-02; and how much has been spent. [31664] Jacqui Smith: On the 9 January 2001 the Government announced that funding totalling £4 million to provide silicone cosmesis to prosthetic limb users was to be made available over the next three years. The funding started with £0.5 million for 2001-02, £1.5 million for 2002-03 and £2 million for 2003-04. This was an addition to the baseline allocations to the 99 health authorities. Each local health authority will provide funding to individual disablement service centres (DSCs) to provide silicone cosmesis. The contract for purchasing silicone cosmesis covers was awarded on 1 October 2001. To support this initiative officials in my Department wrote, on 12 December 2001, to all health authorities reminding them that this funding has been provided to them in their allocations. The contractor is required as part of the contract to provide the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency with quarterly contract sales figures which will include: total sales figure in £s; £s spent by each DSC; and what span of products are purchased. These data are currently being collected by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.

Secondary information