HC Deb 24 May 1978 vol 950 cc603-4W
Mr. Rose

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the fact that the capital stock in health facilities in the North-West based on the region's weighted population is approximately £108 million below average, he will revise the allocations for capital expenditure currently proposed for 1979 to 1982 by upgrading the North-West in order to bring it into parity of provision with other regions.

Mr. Moyle

We are fully aware of the needs of the region for capital resources, and the assumption within which it has been asked to plan its capital programme for the years 1979–80 to 1981–82 is higher in relation to weighted population than

Area Health Authority Hospital Average daily number of available beds in 1977
Wigan … … … … … Billinge … … … … … 160
Atherleiph … … … … … 116
Astley … … … … … … 56
Whelley … … … … … 70
Bolton … … … … … Bolton General … … … … 194
Hulton … … … … … 100
Wilkinson … … … … … 49
Bury … … … … … Fairfield … … … … … 92
Florence Nightingale … … … 44
Robinson Kay … … … … 50
Rochdale … … … … Birch Hill … … … … … 131
Marland … … … … … 94
Salford … … … … … Hope … … … … … … 38
Ladywell … … … … … 230
Eccles and Patricroft … … … 22
Oldham … … … … … Oldham and District General … … 233
Westhulme … … … … … 25
Trafford … … … … … Bridgewater … … … … … 134
Denzell Continuation … … … 19
Ashton on Mersey … … … … 19
Stockport … … … … Stepping Hill … … … … 51
St. Thomas' … … … … … 187
Cherry Tree … … … … … 6
Mauldeth Home … … … … 77
Tameside … … … … Tameside General … … … … 106
Hyde … … … … … … 91
Shire Hill … … … … … 74
Manchester North District … … North Manchester General … … 309
Monsall … … … … … 37
Manchester South District … … Withington … … … … … 329
Wythenshawe … … … … 132
Greater Manchester Total … … … … … … … … 3,275
Detailed information about the catchment areas for individual hospitals is not available centrally.

that of any other region. It represents the highest planning assumption we can fairly offer to the North-Western Region having regard to current public expenditure forecasts and to the relative needs of other regions.

Actual allocations, and the speed with which inequalities between regions can be reduced, will depend on the relative needs of regions as assessed year by year and the capital resources available.