To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to alter the best practice guidance to primary care trusts on the funding of drug treatments in the absence of guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

In 'Good Practice Guidance on Managing the Introduction of New Healthcare Interventions and Links to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal Guidance', published in December 2006 (copies of which have been placed in the Library), on medicines where no NICE guidance exists, the Department gave a commitment to undertake a review. We are planning to review and extend this guidance in 2009 and we will consult on draft guidance as part of this process.