§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now able to report on the inquiry carried out by the chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority following the representations made by the 231W Mid-Staffordshire branch of the Royal College of Nursing into the impact of Government expenditure cuts on the funding of the Mid-Staffordshire health authority and the nurse staffing situation at St. George's hospital, Stafford.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Government have increased expenditure on the National Health Service and have made no expenditure cuts. The allocation of funds with the West Midlands is a matter for the West Midlands regional health authority. That authority has increased its allocation to the Mid-Staffordshire health authority this year by £950,000. Problems of nurse staffing at any individual hospital have to be left to local discretion.