§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 20 May,Official Report,columns 273–74, if she will make a statement about the approach made to Portsmouth health authority some two years ago by an official of the Department of Health and Social Security in regard to the contracting out of the managment of a National Health Service hospital to a private company; and if she will list any other centrally promoted schemes of this type instigated since May 1979.
§ The Prime MinisterThere were some discussions between officials of the Department of Health and Social Security and the administrator of Portsmouth and South East Hampshire health authority in 1983 about the possibility of a private company managing one of the authority's hospitals. It was decided not to proceed.
There was nothing unusual about these discussions, which arose as a result of the close interest of Ministers in examining possible options and alternative ways in which the management of NHS hospitals might be improved.