HC Deb 20 February 1990 vol 167 cc707-8W
31. Dr. Michael Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to specify the core services provided by National Health Service trusts.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

There are no plans for the core or "designated services" provided by an NHS trust to be specified routinely by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State. Designated services are simply those which need to be provided locally and can be provided only to a defined population by a particular hospital, which has become an NHS trust. Designation becomes relevant if the trust does not wish to provide those services. The NHS and Community Care Bill provides for powers of direction by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State to achieve provision of designated services by NHS trusts as a last resort. The responsibility for identifying services which need to be designated for a particular population will rest with the DHA concerned.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about feasibility studies being carried out by hospitals considering opting out of health authority control.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 18 January at column402.

Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was his Department's total expenditure on the meetings on National Health Service trusts held on 23 and 24 October 1989, 14 and 15 December 1989 and 22 and 23 January.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

These were internal management meetings with senior NHS managers. It is not our practice to disclose such costs.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health up until what stage a potential self-governing trust's application for self-governing hospital status may be withdrawn; up to what date new applications may be submitted; and if he will list those which have been withdrawn to date.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Formal application for NHS trust status may be made only after Parliament has approved the necessary legislation. Applications may, thereafter, be submitted at any time. They may be withdrawn at any time before the order establishing a particular trust is laid.

84. Mr. Livsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the need for a ballot to take place before hospitals opt out of the existing National Health Service management structure.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

One letter has been received since the beginning of the year.

59. Mr. Flannery

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have now shown an interest in self-government; and what is the precise method for doing this.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

A total of 191 units have, to date, expressed an interest in NHS trust status, including a number with more than one hospital. For the precedure for registering an interest in NHS trust status, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 17 January at column277.

56. Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has had from district health authorities on his proposals for self-governing hospitals.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We have received representations from a wide range of individuals and representative bodies, including district health authorities, on the NHS review proposals over the past year. These have included representations on our proposals for NHS trusts.