HC Deb 21 February 1989 vol 147 cc606-7W
55. Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for consultation with local communities which are served by National Health Service hospitals which decide to establish trusts under his recent proposals.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

It will be for regional health authorities to publicise locally all proposals for hospitals to become National Health Service hospital trusts. They will consider the views of everyone who expresses an interest, including the health authorities concerned, staff at the hospital, general practitioners and community health councils. Regional health authorities will be asked to submit responses from the public, together with any comments they may have on them, to me so that I can take them into account in considering applications.

75. Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many National Health Service hospital trusts he expects to be established in April 1991.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

It is too early to estimate numbers.

71. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will disclose the names of hospitals in London about which his Department has been in discussion with regard to the formation of National Health Service hospital trusts, as envisaged in his White Paper.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

My Department has discussed the proposals only in general terms. It is too early to discuss which hospitals might become National Health Service trusts until all interested parties have had the opportunity to consider the working paper on self-governing hospitals, published yesterday.