§ Mr. CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether community health councils were included in the distribution of documents on contracts for hospital services; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanCommunity health councils were sent copies of the White Paper "Working for Patients" which set out the Government's proposals on contractual arrangements and the subsequent working paper "Funding and Contracts for Hospital Services". Detailed aspects of these proposals were addressed in two more recent documents "Contracts for Health Services: Operational Principles" and "Contracts for Health Services: Pricing and Openness". Copies of these were sent to the Association of CHCs in England and Wales and to individual CHCs, including Bradford, which expressed particular interest. Decisions on the distribution of further documents to CHCs will be made in the light of their contents.