§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what reactions he has received from the first six hospitals which were expected to opt out of health authority control.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have never had expectations about which hospitals, from the many potential candidates, will be among the first applicants for self-governing status. Some recent reports to the contrary were based on the mistaken belief that the first six hospitals involved in the development of the resource management initiative were automatically expected to choose self-government. The chief executive of the National Health Service management board has asked regional health authorities to forward expressions of interest in self-government to the Department by 31 May.