To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1349W, on primary care trusts (PCTs), what the reasons were for the selection of each PCT visited last year; which Ministers have received copies of the resulting reports; and to whom copies of these reports were circulated. (134147)

Within the last year, the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU) has carried out eight reviews on different governmental delivery and reform priorities, which involved visits to 35 primary care trusts (PCTs). For each review a number of sites were chosen to ask front line staff about their experience of delivery and the issues they face. The sites were chosen on the basis of a PCTs characteristics (e.g. urban or rural populations) and local circumstances.

The final reports that were produced following each of these reviews were developed jointly with the Department of Health, and act as confidential advice to the Prime Minister, Department of Health Ministers and Secretary of State. Each report was circulated by the PMDU to the Prime Minister. In addition, the Department of Health lead official for each review also circulated the report to relevant senior officials within the Department of Health and to relevant Ministers and/or Secretary of State.

Only one of the eight reviews involved three Government Departments, and as such was therefore shared with the senior officials, and Ministers/Secretaries of State, as appropriate from the Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, and the Department for Culture Media and Sport.