To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the involvement of people affected by haemophilia in the consultation process for the re-tendering of the national contract for clotting factors for patients with haemophilia. (290517)

Work is under way with NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency to tender for new national contracts for blood clotting factors, which will commence from April 2010.

As part of the consultation process the Haemophilia Society (which represents patients affected by haemophilia) have been intensively involved in the planning stages of this contract and are also facilitating patient representation in the evaluation of products which will form part of the decision-making process.

In addition, a series of workshops are currently being rolled out across the national health service to ensure as wide as possible consultation is carried out prior to commencing these contacts this will representation of patients through their clinicians and directly through the Haemophilia Society.