National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence John Battle To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to set a deadline for the commissioning of NHS services to achieve compliance with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines; and if he will make a statement. Dawn Primarolo We have no plans to do so. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) clinical guidelines cover a whole pathway of care and may make a significant number of recommendations. The Government expect national health service organisations to work towards implementation of NICE'S clinical guidelines over time, in line with available resources and local priorities. John Battle To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to increase levels of public confidence in National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines; and if he will make a statement. Dawn Primarolo The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation and its clinical guidelines are based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence. They are developed in consultation with stakeholders, are widely respected internationally and have been commended by the World Health Organisation. The Department has no plans to undertake further work on public perceptions of NICE clinical guidelines.