§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received the report of the working party on the resources allocation working party; if he will publish the report; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Moore[Pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1988 c. 559]: I am today publishing the NHS management board's final report on its review of the resource allocation working party (RAWP) formula, which is used to calculate funding targets for regional health authorities in England. Copies of the report are available in the Vote Office.
The NHS management board was asked to explore the scope for improving the way in which the national RAWP formula measures relative need for health care across the country. The board's interim report, published in December 1986, considered each element of the formula, identified aspects where there was scope for improvement, and recommended a programme of analysis and research. That programme is now complete, and its results are set out in the final report. I am grateful to the management board for this comprehensive study.
The review of the RAWP formula was already close to completion when the Government began their wide-ranging review of the NHS. The Government will consider this report within the context of the wider review of the NHS.