§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he gives to the stated opposition to trust status of a hospital within a district health authority in his consideration of an application for trust status by that authority.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyAn application for trust status may be made involving a number of units; such an application is subject to the normal public consultation and, while no group has a veto, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider carefully all responses received.
§ Sir David PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is being collected by his Department on the operation of national health service trusts.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy Department will be collecting the necessary information to monitor the performance of trusts against their three key financial duties—to achieve a 6 per cent. rate of return on net assets, to break even taking one year with another and to keep within their external financing limit. It will also be collecting certain items of information from trusts, as from all NHS provider units on manpower, activity and waiting lists.
§ Sir David PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance relating to the publication 331W of business plans to those hospitals and units submitting applications to become national health service trusts in April 1992.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Department is currently revising its guidance in this area. Although the financial pro formas prepared by units applying for second wave trust status will be submitted to the Department in confidence, trusts will be asked to publish business plans for 1992–93.