Hospital Travel Costs

Mr. Fallon
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid out under the hospital travel costs scheme in each of the last three years; and how many patients received payments under the scheme in each year.

Ms Rosie Winterton
The Department does not collect figures on how much has been paid out through the hospital travel costs scheme, nor how many patients have benefited from the scheme. It is for primary care trusts, as local commissioners of services, to make provisions so that patients with either a financial or medical need for transport can travel to and from their treatment or care.