To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which organisations and individuals are involved in developing the pilot scheme on complementary and alternative therapies in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. (130916)

My Department has convened a steering group which will bring together a number of key stakeholders whose role will be to guide and monitor the successful implementation of the pilot scheme. The group's first meeting will be in April. Get Well UK, the organisation administering the pilot on behalf of the DHSSPS, will report to the steering group on a regular basis.

In addition to staff from the DHSSPS, the steering group will have representatives from

Health and Social Services Boards;

Health and Social Services Council;

The General Osteopathic Council;

British Acupuncture Council;

British Chiropractic Association;

Northern Ireland Association of Homeopaths;

Federation of Holistic Therapists/Aromatherapy Council;

General Practitioner Committee (BMA NI)

The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the pilot scheme in which patients can receive complementary and alternative therapies across Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the take-up of complementary and alternative therapies in the areas where the scheme is being piloted. (130917)

A full independent evaluation of the pilot scheme will be carried out and will help inform any future decisions about the availability of complementary and alternative therapies in Northern Ireland.

Although the pilot is still at a very early stage, I have been encouraged by the progress made so far. The first patient was seen on 6 March and since then the pilot has received 101 patient referrals from GPs—56 from the Belfast pilot and 45 from Londonderry. A total of 79 referrals have been for patients suffering from musculoskeletal problems and 22 have involved mental health problems.