HC Deb 04 February 1988 vol 126 cc752-3W
Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for the west midlands region the number of current acute surgical beds per hundred thousand population in each of the region's districts.

Mrs. Currie

The information requested is given in the table.

Regional Health Authority 1988–89 percentage distance from RAWP target allocation
Northern -1.6
Yorkshire -1.4
Trent -2.7
East Anglian -4.0
North West Thames +4.5
North East Thames +7.3
South East Thames +1.7

Regional Health Authority 1988–89 percentage distance from RAWP target allocation
South West Thames +1.0
Wessex -1.8
Oxford -2.6
South Western -1.4
West Midlands -1.3
Mersey +1.5
North Western -1.4

The distribution of resources to districts, including the assessment of distances from target, is a matter for regions. The process reflects the same aims as national RAWP, but at this level annual allocations need to be closely related to service plans and to allow for a manageable pace of change.