§ Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the resource allocation working party target allocation for the central Birmingham health district if calculated on its present resident population and cross-boundary flow; what the resource allocation working party target allocation of the new central health authority would be, calculated on the resident population and cross-boundary flow proposed by the West Midlands regional health authority in its structural changes; and what proportion of the resource allocation working party targets is attributable to resident population and to cross-boundary flow in the central Birmingham health district;
(2) what steps will be taken by the West Midlands regional health authority to ensure that the central Birmingham health authoity will be properly funded for the nature and level of work it will be undertaking;
(3) what factors are taken into account by the West Midlands regional health authority in determining the proportion of its development moneys made available for the revenue consequences of clinical developments at a time when most health authorities in the region are underspending their present allocation;
(4) what method his Department employs for monitoring whether the West Midlands region's allocation of development moneys to health authorities is used primarily to undertake additional patient work loads.
§ Sir George YoungNo decision has yet been taken on the future pattern of district health authorities in the West Midlands region. The Department, through the NHS 245W planning system, sets guidelines and monitors progress towards strategic objectives but does not hold centrally details of target allocations for individual districts, calculated on the lines recommended by the resource allocation working party. Responsibility for calculation of such targets, for assessment of relative needs, and for allocation of resources within the region rests with the regional health authority, and my hon. Friend may care to approach that authority for more detailed information.