House of Lords written question – answered at on 13 July 2000.
Lord Dholakia
Liberal Democrat
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What difficulties have been encountered in the last 12 months in recruiting professionals to work in the field of children's mental health; and what steps have been taken to overcome them.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health)
Recruitment to the National Health Service is improving. There were more doctors, nurses and therapists in 1999 than in 1998. The provision of £16 million of targeted funding in 1999-2000 to improve "core" child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is thought to have had a significant impact on the recruitment of professional staff in this field but national workforce statistics are not yet available. The funding last year was part of £90 million being provided over 3 years to improve staffing levels and the range and quality of CAMHS.
Yes2 people think so
No1 person thinks not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.
The house of Lords is the upper chamber of the Houses of Parliament. It is filled with Lords (I.E. Lords, Dukes, Baron/esses, Earls, Marquis/esses, Viscounts, Count/esses, etc.) The Lords consider proposals from the EU or from the commons. They can then reject a bill, accept it, or make amendments. If a bill is rejected, the commons can send it back to the lords for re-discussion. The Lords cannot stop a bill for longer than one parliamentary session. If a bill is accepted, it is forwarded to the Queen, who will then sign it and make it law. If a bill is amended, the amended bill is sent back to the House of Commons for discussion.
The Lords are not elected; they are appointed. Lords can take a "whip", that is to say, they can choose a party to represent. Currently, most Peers are Conservative.
