HL Deb 11 February 2002 vol 631 c125WA
Lord Smith of Leigh

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To what extent health authorities are currently overspending on their budgets; and how this will impact on primary care trusts in the next financial year. [HL2367]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)

By the end of this financial year we expect all health authorities to live within their agreed resource limits. Where they require support at year-end this will be provided principally through brokerage from elsewhere in the National Health Service. This is normal practice in managing the year-end financial position of individual bodies and for the NHS overall.