30. Mr. Robert G. Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the workings of the resources allocation working party formula for distribution of resources to health authorities.
§ Mr. NewtonThe workings of the resource allocation working party (RAWP) formula for distribution of resources to health authorities are explained in two documents, "Sharing resources for health in England, Reports of the Resource Allocation Working Party 1976"; and "Report of the Advisory Group on Resource Allocation 1980".
In December 1985 the then Secretary of State my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield, (Mr. Fowler) asked the NHS management board to carry out a review to identify the scope for refining the RAWP formula and improving its measurement of need. The initial report on the review, published in December 1986, recommended a further programme of analysis and research which is now in progress.
Copies of all three reports are in the Library.