§ Mr. HigginsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy that he will reach no 387W decision on any application by the Brighton health authority for approval in principle for a new hospital in Hove until the full implications for development of hospitals in the Worthing and district health authority have been analysed and the potential waste of public funds examined; if he will make a statement on the joint option appraisal referred to in the parliamentary answer to the right hon. Member for Worthing of 20 May, Official Report, column 592; and why an approval in principle application has been made before this has been completed.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe position remains as indicated in my earlier reply. Departmental officials will be meeting senior managers of the two regional health authorities involved at the end of this month to discuss the outcome of their consideration of future hospital developments in Worthing and Brighton. The approval in principle submission relating to capital developments in Brighton has not yet been submitted formally to the Department by South East Thames RHA.