§ Mr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she expects to announce changes to the structure of the Health Service; when she intends to reorganise the health and social services boards and trusts; and if she will make a statement. [22739]
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§ Mr. WorthingtonMy Department expects to publish a major consultation paper on new arrangements to replace the internal market for health and social services in Northern Ireland in February. The paper will set out broad policy aims and objectives which parallel those in the White Paper "The New NHS, Modern and Dependable", and will seek views on how the policy should be taken forward in Northern Ireland. Following the consultation process, the Government will announce specific proposals for changes to the health and social services later in the year. We have recently produced a policy paper "well into 2000" which sets out our vision of the health service which a new structure must serve.