NHS: Finance

Mr. Whittingdale
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much Mid Essex primary care trust received per capita in the latest period for which figures are available;

(2) what the average level of per capita funding for primary care trusts in England was in the latest period for which figures are available;

(3) which primary care trusts received (a) the highest and (b) the lowest level of per capita funding in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr. Bradshaw
The latest year for which data are available is 2008-09. Table 1 as follows provides the revenue allocation per head of unweighted population made to Mid Essex primary care trust (PCT) for 2008-09, and it also includes the average level of funding per capita for PCTs in England for the same period.

Table 2 as follows shows the PCTs receiving the highest and the lowest level of funding per capita in 2008-09.

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|               |2008-09 allocation per head (£)|
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|Mid Essex PCT  |1,187                          |
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|England average|1,449                          |
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|PCT                      |2008-09 allocation per head (£)|Rank of allocation per head|
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|Islington PCT            |2,066                          |Highest allocation         |
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|South Gloucestershire PCT|1,178                          |Lowest allocation          |
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Miss McIntosh
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated to be spent per head of population to primary care trusts in (a) England, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) North Yorkshire and York primary care trust area for 2008-09; what account is taken of the (i) rurality and (ii) sparsity of population in setting the spending per head of population in York and North Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Bradshaw
The following provides the revenue allocation per head of unweighted population made to England, Yorkshire and the Humberside strategic health authority (SHA), and North Yorkshire and York primary care trust (PCT) for 2008-09.

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|                            |2008-09 allocation per head (£)|
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|England average             |1,449                          |
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|Yorkshire and the Humber SHA|1,452                          |
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|North Yorkshire and York PCT|1,269                          |
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The funding formula introduced in 2003-04 and used in the 2008-09 PCT revenue allocations, provides the best available measure of health need in all areas. In calculating health need in rural areas it takes account of the effects of access, transport and poverty.

The development of the formula is continuously overseen by the Advisory Committee on resource allocation (ACRA). ACRA is an independent body made up of national health service managers, academics and general practitioners. ACRA has looked at the issue of rurality on many occasions and has considered rural issues as part of its current work programme, which is in place to support revenue allocations to PCTs post 2008-09.

The aim is to announce the outcome of ACRA's review of the formula alongside revenue allocations to PCTs for 2009-10 and 2010-11 before the summer recess.