§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what reduction in (a) acute beds, (b) acute wards and (c) patients having surgery is estimated as a result of Waltham Forest district health authority's plan to cut £4 million from its budget by 1988;
(2) what will be the effect on the maintenance problems of health authority property in Waltham Forest as a result of the district health authority's plan to cut £4 million from its budget by 1988.;
(3) what assessment he makes of the effect of the plans of Waltham Forest district health authority to cut £4 million from its budget by 1988 on its ability to finance new development; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWaltham Forest health authority's draft operational plan for 1985–86 to 1987–88 was issued for consultation in September. The authority will consider responses at its December meeting. I suggest the hon. Member pursues the detail of these matters with the health authority. The plan envisages a cumulative reduction in Waltham Forest's revenue allocation from North-East Thames regional health authority of £1.342 million, not £4 million over the planning period. This is the result of(a) the need to secure a fairer and more sensible distribution of resources within the region and between acute and priority services and (b) a decline in the population which Waltham Forest serves. This sets it a quite reasonable target of 2.4 per cent saving over the four years on its 1984–85 allocation of £55.8 million which ought to be achieved by cost-improvement programmes. I expect the health authority to maintain the quality of acute services and improve services for the priority groups.