HC Deb 23 January 1990 vol 165 cc656-8W
23. Mr. James Lamond

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department, health authorities and family practitioner committees to prepare for the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

35. Mr. Leadbitter

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department, health authorities and family practitioner committees to prepare for the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

74. Mr. Buckley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department, health authorities and family practitioner committees to prepare for the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

106. Mr. Bidwell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department, health authorities and family practitioner committees to prepare for the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

In this financial year we expect to spend a total of £85 million on preparation for implementation of the Government's proposals to improve the National Health Service. This sum includes expenditure on such items as the creation of new consultant posts in expensive specialties and on staff training in better financial management.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the black and Asian community to discuss the National Health Service and Community Care Bill; and which groups he met.

Mr. Freeman

I met representatives of the Overseas Doctors Association on 11 July 1989, when we discussed a variety of subjects related to the black and Asian community, including the Government's proposals to improve the Health Service.

On 31 January I shall be meeting representatives from the King's Fund for Health Services Development to discuss their work with ethnic minority groups. I shall also be visiting the National Community Health Resource on 7 February, again to discuss its activities in this field. I expect that during these meetings our proposals for the NHS and community care will be considered.

There are also discussions taking place at the moment about the possibility of a conference with the Overseas Doctors Association specifically to consider the effects of the White Paper proposals for ethnic minority groups.

69. Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authority places will be removed from health authorities in each district in Greater London, after the enactment of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill in its present form.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The information is as follows:

District Health Authority Local authority members
Barnet 4
Ealing 4
Harrow 4

District Health Authority Local authority members
Hillingdon 4
Hounslow and Spelthorne 5
Parkside 5
Riverside 5
Barking, Havering and Brentwood 5
Bloomsbury 5
City and Hackney 5
Enfield 4
Hampstead 4
Haringey 4
Islington 4
Newham 4
Redbridge 4
Tower Hamlets 4
Waltham Forest 4
Croydon 4
Kingston and Esher 4
Merton and Sutton 4
Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton 4
Wandsworth 4
Bexley 4
Bromley 4
Camberwell 5
Greenwich 4
Lewisham and North Southwark 5
West Lambeth 4

49. Mr. Roy Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from professional bodies and trades unions concerning the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We have had a large number of representations from a wide variety of sources.

36. Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his intention that health circular 89(5) on the discharge of patients from hospitals will apply when in-patient services are contracted under the provisions of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Yes. It is intended that this circular will continue to be implemented by district health authorities and by NHS trusts. In securing good quality services for their residents when placing contracts, district health authorities will need to consider monitoring the performance of those providing the service.