§ Miss Wrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report, in tabular form, by regional health authorities, the estimated abortive planning and other costs consequential upon Government policy decisions to cut back on projected sizes of district general hospitals.
§ Dr. VaughanThe Department and regional health authorities have already reviewed jointly those major building projects currently at an advanced stage of planning. The majority were already in line with the Government's policy or had been modified to be so. The remaining schemes are the subject of further discussion with health authorities. Estimates of cost are not available centrally. We have recently issued a consultative document— "The Future Pattern of Hospital Provision in England"—for comment by early October. I would expect regional health authorities to include in their comments an assessment of the practical 63W consequences of the policy changes in their regions.