HC Deb 03 December 1987 vol 123 c702W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on what basis the decision was made to allocate £250,000 of the West Midlands' regional health authority's waiting list fund to BUPA; and if he will give instructions that money allocated to regional health authorities for the reduction in waiting lists should be spent only within the National Health Service.

Mr. Newton

The additional £240,000 from the national waiting list fund has been allocated to the West Midlands regional health authority, not to BUPA. The BUPA role is to use its expertise in negotiating with private hospitals to advise the health authority on the private sector options available. We expect health authorities to take account of all sources of health care when looking for ways of improving waiting times for National Health Service patients.