§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library copies of the annual profiles of comparative activity by all health authorities prepared by the Audit Commission and resulting from the reports of local auditors;
(2) what information from the Audit Commission she has made available to Parliament to enable comparative assessment to be made of the activities of health authorities.
§ Mr. SackvilleWe are in correspondence with the chairman of the Audit Commission to clarify and agree future engagements for the publication of comparative information on health service activity. In this context we will consider with the commission how the profiles of health authority expenditure, prepared by staff of the commission, can best serve the need for high-quality208W comparative information which is a key element in providing greater patient choice and in the successful operation of the reforms.
The Department publishes each year an extensive range of comparative data on many aspects of the health service in the form of health service indicators. The indicators for 1990–91 will be published and placed in the Library next month to enable comparative assessments to be made of health authority activities.