§ Mr. FaberTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he will reply to the letter of 23 March from the hon. Member for Westbury concerning Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82760]
(2) in what official capacity his Parliamentary Private Secretary met representatives of Warminster Hospital on 21 April; and if he will make a statement; [82762]
(3) if he will list the representations he has received from (a) public bodies and (b) members of the public concerning the proposed closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82764]
(4) what representations he has received from (a) officials of the General and Municipal Boilerworkers Union and (b) Bath and District Community Health Council concerning the proposed closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82761]
(5) what discussions he has had with the Wiltshire Health Authority concerning the proposed closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital; [82763]
(6) if he will meet the hon. Member for Westbury and representatives of Warminster Hospital to discuss the proposed closure of Ward 2. [82765]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 30 April 1999]: I will be replying to the hon. Member shortly and am giving consideration to his request for a meeting. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 52 letters concerning the closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital. One of these was from Warminster Town Council, the remainder were from members of the public. No representations have been received from the General, Municipal and Boilerworkers Union or the Bath and District Community Health Council. In addition there have been 319 standard letters received on this matter from members of the public.
354WMy right hon. Friend has had no discussions with Wiltshire Health Authority about the closure of Ward 2 at Warminster Hospital.
My right hon. Friend's Parliamentary Private Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Ann Keen), met with a GMB sponsored delegation in her capacity as Secretary to the GMB group of members.