HC Deb 13 April 1970 vol 799 cc994-6
3. Mr. Fortescue

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what machinery he envisages under his Green Paper proposals for communication between area health authorities and his Department.

The Secretary of State for Social Services (Mr. Richard Crossman)

Area health authorities would have direct communication with the Department and its regional offices.

Mr. Fortescue

Has the right hon. Gentleman considered fully the difficulties of having 90 area health authorities reporting primarily to his Department? Will not this mean, for the hospital service anyway, that the present regional hospital boards, consisting of non-officials, will largely be replaced in their responsibility by regional officers of the Department, consisting entirely of officials?

Mr. Crossman

If that were to happen, it would not satisfy me. I have considered the problem of 90 boards. All I add is that at present I deal with 625 authorities, and 90 is something of an improvement.

16. Mr. Silvester

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for ensuring that revised hospital development plans made by existing regional hospital boards will take into account the views of the new health authorities proposed under his Green Paper.

Mr. Crossman

It will be for the area health authorities, when they are set up, to form a view on development plans prepared for their hospitals by the regional hospital boards.

Mr. Silvester

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is important that no plan should be taken so far that it will be made difficult for the new area authorities, which will have to work primarily within the new local government boundaries, to provide adequate hospital facilities?

Mr. Crossman

There is always a transition period of this sort. It is difficult problem. I do not want to stop the present regional hospital boards from carrying out all forms of reorganisation in view of the coming reforms of the Health Service. On the other hand, I want them to bear in mind what will happen in four or five years, and we are trying to obtain an amicable understanding of that in the regional hospital boards.