§ Mr. Stoddartasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is being done to ensure that the level of health service provision in new towns keeps in step with the rapid growth of population.
§ Mr. ShoreFollowing consultation with the new towns involved, I have agreed with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services to the transfer to his Department of funds amounting376W to £0.5 a year from my Department's new towns programme for the towns programme for the additional provision of health service facilities in Northampton, Milton Keynes and Peterborough. This switch of resources will cover the years 1978–79 to 1981–82 inclusive and the additional funds will go to the area health authorities concerned as a special allocation for use as agreed by the three new town development corporations which have accepted a cut in their capital allocations so as to make this possible.