To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be (a) the initial costs and (b) the annual running costs of confidential inquiries into stillbirths and infant deaths in Northern Ireland; and what additional funds he is making available to (i) the Northern Ireland Office, (ii) the General Register Office and (iii) health and social services boards to (a) set up and (b) run the inquiries.

Resources will be made available to allow Northern Ireland to participate fully in the national confidential inquiry. It will not be possible, however, to provide detailed information about the funding and costs of the inquiry in Northern Ireland until expert advice on its design and content has been formulated by the national advisory board which is being set up to guide and oversee the work throughout the United Kingdom.