HC Deb 15 February 1983 vol 37 cc148-9
11. Mr. Farr

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to improve health services in the Leicester area.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

We have recently announced revenue allocations to regional health authorities which give the Trent region an additional £17 million for 1983–84. This represents a growth rate for services of 2.4 per cent. in the region's revenue as against a national average growth of 1.2 per cent. It is for the Trent regional health authority to allocate resources to Leicestershire health authority, and at an RHA meeting yesterday Leicestershire was given an additional recurrent development allocation of £660,000 and an additional non-recurrent allocation of £680,000.

Mr. Farr

I thank my hon. and learned Friend for that reply, but is he aware that the Leicester area has been at about the bottom for the distribution of cash for the Trent region, and that the Trent regional health authority has been the most under-provided in the country for many years? In view of that, when does my hon. and learned Friend expect health services in the Leicester area to be up to the national average?

Mr. Clarke

I accept that the region has been traditionally under-resourced. I represent a constituency served by it, so my hon. Friend is rather preaching to the converted. For that reason, the Trent region has been given a higher proportion of growth money than other regions throughout the period that the Government have been in office. It has had a 9 per cent. growth in services over the past four years. It is because we are continuing that policy, as I said yesterday, that we are able to give over £1.2 million by way of new development money to the district this year, over and above growth money which it has been receiving in the past three years.

Mr. Greville Janner

Will the Minister say when the Glenfield district hospital, which is in my constituency, and is so badly needed, will open, and that when it does open the Government will ensure that it has adequate resources to carry out the duties for which it is designed and serve the people in the entire county of Leicestershire?

Mr. Clarke

I appreciate that the opening of the new Glenfield hospital is the major issue facing that health authority and that it has to plan for the revenue consequences of opening this major development. It is for that reason that Leicestershire is receiving so much more than the national average in growth money. I very much hope that the large sums awarded yesterday will help towards the necessary planning and thus enable the Glenfield hospital to open on time.