§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations he has received concerning the future of St. Paul's eye hospital, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what representations he has received against the proposed closure of the Liverpool women's hospital; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanThe Liverpool area health authority (teaching) has been considering various measures to reduce expenditure to a level consistent with the 185W authority's revenue cash allocation for 1980–81, present indications being of a serious level of overspending in this financial year. One set of options examined the possibility of maintaining existing levels of service in fewer buildings, with consequential savings in running costs and transfer of services from St. Paul's eye hospital and the women's hospital was considered under this heading. At its meeting on 4 July the authority decided not to proceed with closure of St. Paul's eye hospital. The long-term future of the women's hospital is one of the issues being considered by a working party of members of the AHA(T) which is studying the need for gynaecological services in Liverpool.
Up to 8 July I had received letters from my hon. Friend, the Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen), the Faculty of Ophthalmologists and two private individuals about St. Paul's eye hospital and one letter from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, and two from private individuals about the women's hospital.