HC Deb 28 March 1988 vol 130 cc339-40W
Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the financial position of(a) Salford health authority and (b) the South Manchester health authority.

Mr. Newton

The allocation of resources to individual health authorities is a matter for the regional health authority. I understand both authorities will benefit from record levels of revenue funding in 1988–89 which includes allocations from the waiting list fund, the special bridging fund and central funding for AIDS.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services on which date the Minister for Health, the right hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton), first received a request for a meeting with hon. Members about the financial position of South Manchester health authority; and on what date he decided not to meet them.

Mr. Newton

I received the request from the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley) on 29 February. My office contacted him on 8 March with the offer of a meeting with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health. This offer was declined.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what factors he considered in forming a judgment that he would meet hon. Members about the financial position of Salford health authority; and which

Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) of 10 March, Official Report, columns 347–8, if he will give the figures for income under section 65 as adjusted by the hospital and community health services pay and prices deflator.

Mrs. Currie

The information requested is given in the table.

factors were considered by the right hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton), the Minister for Health, in forming a judgment that he would not meet hon. Members to discuss the financial position of South Manchester health authority.

Mr. Newton

Decisions to meet delegations are dependent on the circumstances of each request and the commitments of Ministers. I was aware that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health was willing to meet the hon. Member, an offer he refused.