§ Mr. Michael McGuireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the criteria used by his Department to satisfy itself that historically the North-West region had not been given its fair share of National Health Service resources.
§ Mr. MoyleThe criteria used for assessing the relative need for health resources are based on the recommendations of the Resource Allocation Working Party. A copy of its report "Sharing resources for health in England", which was published in 1976, is in the Library. The basic measure of need is population weighted to allow for age and sex 397W differences and for other indicators of health care need.
§ Mr. Michael McGuireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the capital allowance sum allocated to the North-West regional hospital board is for new hospitals.
§ Mr. MoyleUnder the cash limits system of resource allocation, capital sums are not earmarked for specific purposes. I shall not know what proportion of its allocation the North-Western regional health authority proposes to spend on new hospitals until I receive its capital estimates for 1979–80.
§ Mr. Michael McGuireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present annual payment paid to the North-West regional hospital board to compensate for a now agreed historic underpayment vis-à-vis other regions.
§ Mr. MoyleThe annual additional revenue allocated to the North-Western regional hospital board depends on the total resources available nationally. I have recently announced the revenue allocations to regional health authorities for 1979–80. North-Western RHA will receive an increase of 3 per cent. compared with a national average of 2 per cent.