§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much savings will be required from the North-West Thames regional health authority in order to meet his request that there should be a 40 per cent. efficiency saving to complement the £100 million extra he is providing for 1983–84; in which areas such savings can be applied without affecting patient care; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe North-West Thames regional health authority has agreed, in common with all regional health authorities in England and Wales, to make efficiency savings of 0.5 per cent. of its total revenue allocation in the 1983–84 financial year. For North-West Thames RHA this amounts to £3,308,000, 60 per cent. of which will be available for new developments within the region, with the remainder being used to improve services in less well-provided regions elsewhere in the country. The precise way in which such savings will be achieved is a matter for the RHA to decide but possible examples include energy savings, use of incentive bonus schemes, more efficient estate management and administrative staff savings.