Trent Regional Health Authority (Hansard, 14 February 1995)

§ 3. Mr. Garnier
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings she expects to result from the abolition of Trent regional health authority.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Mr. Tom Sackville)
By 1997–98, the total annual savings solely from the abolition of regional health authorities are expected to be in excess of £100 million.

§ Mr. Garnier
Will my hon. Friend confirm that the number of patients waiting for more than a year has fallen by 4,200 in the last quarter and that no patients in the region are waiting longer than 18 months? Will he assure me that any savings that he makes from the abolition of the region will be reinvested in increasing the standard and speed of patient care?

§ Mr. Sackville
Yes. I congratulate Trent region on its many achievements, which will be further augmented by its share of the £100 million a year that will be saved from the abolition of the regions. Why the Labour party should wish to oppose the abolition of the regions and take that money away from patient care, heaven alone knows.

§ Mr. Redmond
The Minister must be aware that, since the reorganisations introduced by the Government in 1979, administration has increased enormously. No one believes that the £100 million will be put into health care to reduce the waiting list. Why does not he get back to the good old days, when 3.5 per cent. of staff in areas such as Doncaster were administrative staff? That is the service that people want to have, not quangos on quangos.

§ Mr. Sackville
On the good old days, I can tell the hon. Gentleman only that we are treating many more patients than we did in those days; people are living longer; infant mortality is lower; and waiting times are smaller. Let him choose which he prefers.