Vol. 443 No. 3
142 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the health boards will make sufficient resources available to AIDS support groups to enable such agencies to continue to offer the widest possible range of support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The recommendations of the National AIDS Strategy Committee form the basis for my Department's policy in relation to the development of services for people with HIV/AIDS and drug misusers. The committee's report, which was issued in 1992, recognised the important role which voluntary agencies have to play in the provision of services. Since 1992 my Department has provided funding through the health boards to these agencies to support them in their work. A total amount of £612,000 has been made available to date during this year to voluntary agencies working the HIV/AIDS and drug abuse fields.
I greatly value the contribution which voluntary organisations make in the provision of services in association with the statutory services and I will continue to support them in developing services appropriate to our needs.
