To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure his Department incurred in maintaining and operating the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the most recent financial year for which figures are available. (225969)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 1 September 2008, Official Report, column 1749W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are used to appoint staff to posts in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; what criteria are applied; and who is responsible for making decisions on staff selection. (225970)

These are matters for the independent National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE should be contacted direct for this information.