§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the amount by which the actual annual allocation of funds to the Essex Area Health Authority falls short of the provisional target allocation, based upon the formula produced by the National Resource Allocation Working Party; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleThe allocation of resources to Essex Area Health Authority is a matter for the North-East Thames Regional Health Authority, which in 1976 calculated that on the interim recommendations of the Resource Allocation Working Party, Essex was about £20 million underfunded on a population basis. However, this calculation was subject to adjustment in respect of the additional costs of providing services in London, the cost of undergraduate medical and dental education, regional specialities and meeting the deprivation prevalent in the inner city areas. The RHA is now recalculating area targets.