Written question asked by Sue Doughty (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 25 February 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 11 March 2003. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 March 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 29th January, Official Report, column 901W, on private health schemes, whether his Department places restrictions on National Health Service bodies offering private patient services.

Answer: Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 29 January 2003, Official Report, column 901W, on private health schemes, whether his Department places restrictions on national health service bodies offering private patient services. [100093] Mr. Hutton: By law, national health service trusts and primary care trusts may offer private patient services only to the extent that doing so does not to any significant extent interfere with the performance by the trust of its functions or of its obligations under NHS contracts.

Secondary information