§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now withdraw his instruction to Brent district health authority to dismiss 200 employees in the light of the statement made by the recently appointed chairman of that authority, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Brent, South.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNeither we nor the regional health authority have given any such instruction. I understand the district chairman commented on a consultative paper issued by the regional health authority. We require Brent, like all other health authorities, to carry through a substantial and sustained cost improvement programme. We expect higher productivity to lead to reductions in manpower levels without damaging any necessary provision of patient services. We expect the578W the Department of Health and Social Security low income table as living in families with incomes below the supplementary benefit level in 1981 and with full-time work or self employed status, he will provide a breakdown showing the numbers of people in each of the following family types: (a) married couple with children, (b single persons with children, (c) married couples without children and (d) single persons without children; and if he will provide the same break-down for people in these employment status groups in respect of the other low income measures used in the Department of Health and Social Security low income tables.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information requested is shown in the table. The assumptions on which estimates are based are contained in the tables entitled "Low Income Families—1981" a copy of which is in the Library.
region to monitor the districts' progress in achieving this better performance and to set manpower targets which will be consistent with making good progress.