To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money his Department has provided to Gloucestershire primary care trust for palliative care in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what the projected amounts for forthcoming financial years are; how much of these amounts are ring-fenced in each case; and if he will make a statement. (183497)

In 2003-04 Ministers set up a central budget, lasting for three years, of £50 million per annum for specialist palliative care. The budget was allocated pro rata to the cancer networks throughout the country to develop local services. Gloucestershire primary care trust (PCT) was part of the Three Counties Cancer Network which received £928,000 per annum between 2003-04 and 2005-06. The £50 million was made recurrent in PCT baseline allocations from 2006-07.

PCTs are responsible within the national health service for commissioning and funding services for their resident population, including end of life care. It is for PCTs to determine how to use the funding allocated to them to meet the health care needs of their local populations and the Department does not have figures for individual PCT expenditure on palliative care.