Hospice aid call 'inappropriate'

Naomi House had nearly �6m in the UK division of a collapsed Icelandic bank

An MP's call for the government to look at the case of a children's hospice which had �5.7m invested in a collapsed Icelandic bank has been refused.

Naomi House, which cares for youngsters from seven counties across the south of England, has said financial uncertainty has put its home service "in peril".

In the Commons, Maria Miller MP called for a government debate on the funding of charities after the bank collapse.

But speaker Michael Martin refused and said the subject was not appropriate.

On Wednesday, he told the Basingstoke MP: "I've listened carefully to what you have said and I have to give my decision without stating any reasons.

"I am afraid that I do not consider that the matter which you have raised is appropriate for discussion."

Care at home

Ms Miller had said charities were given reassurances that "special arrangements" would be made for them, but now it appeared the hospice may not be eligible for protection and faced the prospect of a "protracted fight" to recover any money at all.

The Hampshire-based hospice, based in Sutton Scotney, looks after terminally-ill children in its home county and also Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Surrey, West Sussex and Wiltshire.

Earlier this month, hospice chief executive Ray Kipling said the charity could have to suspend a new service offering care at home because of uncertainty over �5.7m invested in Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander.

He said a new �12m hospice due to be built for teenagers and young people was also under threat.