§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the recommendations of the Baird committee on perinatal mortality he intends to implement; and in what priority.
§ Mr. AlisonSubject to what I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 28 October—[Vol. 99, c.217],—it is my intention that all the committee's recommendations should be implemented. Within the limits imposed by the availability of resources the "priority" recommendations already identified by the committee will be carried out first as these are likely to make the greatest impact on the problem. The other major recommendations "as identified will be implemented next, and then the remaining recommendations.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the gross cost of implementing the recommendations of the Baird committee on perinatal mortality, or the estimated gross cost; and what would be the net cost actual or estimated if recommendation 25 were to be adopted.
§ Mr. AlisonThe chairman of the committee makes clear in the report that it is not possible to estimate the capital cost of the recommendations until decisions have been taken as to how they are to be implemented. However, the gross estimated revenue costs could be in the region of £10 million per annum.
For the same reasons it is not possible to estimate the net cost if recommendation 25 were to be adopted since the closure of some smaller units would make necessary the provision of additional beds elsewhere.