§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 11 November,Official Report, column 850, if she will list (a) the terms of reference of the current review of her Department's requirements for information from the NHS, (b) the role of the management consultants used, (c) the timescale for completion of the review and (d) the date for reporting the results of the review to Parliament.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe purpose of the review is to ensure that the burden on the national health service of completing central returns is fully justified by the uses to which the information is put centrally. Management consultants were employed to identify with the NHS those returns representing a significant burden beyond what is required for local operational purposes. The results of the review should be announced early next year.