To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase the £192,000 per year they spend on preventing Venous Thromboembolism (blood clots), in light of figures which show that it kills an estimated 25,000 patients in the National Health Service each year. [HL3203]

The figure of £192,000 represents the central budget held by the department to support the National Health Service to improve the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In addition, primary care trust (PCT) revenue allocations will total £84 billion in 2010-11. The department does not break down PCT allocations by policies, at either the national or local level. It is for PCTs to decide their priorities for investment locally, taking into account both local priorities and the NHS Operating Framework. We do not collect information centrally on expenditure by the NHS on preventing VTE.