HC Deb 31 January 1994 vol 236 cc536-7W
Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has reached decisions on the boundaries for the new NHS regional health authorities to be established on 1 April.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Following consultation, I have decided that the number of regional health authorities should be reduced to eight from 1 April 1994. The boundaries for the regions will, with one exception, be as set out in the consultation document "Managing the new NHS: Proposal to determine the new NHS regions and establish new Regional Health Authorities". The exception is the districts of East and West Cumbria which, in response to local representations, will be part of the new Northern and Yorkshire region and not North West region as originally proposed.

I shall be laying statutory instruments before the House early in March to implement the required changes to regional boundaries.

The chairmen of the eight regions will be:

  • ANGLIA AND OXFORD (originally East Anglian and Oxford)
  • Dr. Stuart Burgess CBE
  • NORTHERN AND YORKSHIRE (originally North East and Yorkshire)
  • Mr. John Greetham CBE
  • TRENT
  • Sir Michael Carlisle until end of July 1994 when he will be succeeded by
  • Mr. Keith Ackroyd
  • NORTH THAMES
  • Sir William Staveley GCB
  • SOUTH THAMES
  • Mr. William Wells
  • SOUTH AND WEST (originally South West)
  • Ms Rennie Fritchie
  • WEST MIDLANDS
  • Mr. Bryan Baker
  • NORTH WEST
  • Sir Donald Wilson DL