§ Lynne Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 10 June 2003, Official Report, column 835W, on hospital financing, what additional powers foundation trusts will have to enter into joint venture arrangements compared to (a) other NHS organisations and (b) local authorities' social services departments; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for differences. [120150]
§ Mr. Hutton:Subject to legislation, a national health service foundation trust will be able to enter into joint arrangements with local authorities social services departments where such arrangements are consistent with its primary purpose and terms of authorisation. This will allow for the organisation concerned to determine locally what the arrangements should be and is consistent with the Government's policy of decentralisation.
Under current arrangements, NHS trusts can only enter into joint arrangements with private bodies in circumstances specified in directions given by the Secretary of State, and with his consent. While NHS foundation trusts are not subject to directions given by the Secretary of State and do not require his consent before entering into joint ventures (including the setting up of companies), they have no greater powers to do so than current NHS trusts.