NHS Trusts (Hansard, 23 May 1994)

§ Mr. Milburn
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 May, Official Report, columns317–18, if she will list the trusts and the amounts involved where approval has been given for trusts to invest in (a) United Kingdom public sector institutions, (b) banks and (c) building societies.

§ Mr. Sackville
The approval referred to previously is a general approval as to the institutions in which trusts may invest surplus cash. Individual trusts do not require specific approval for their investment arrangements unless they wish to invest surplus cash other than in an approved institution. No trust has applied to use a non-approved institution. Trusts are not required to notify my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State or the national health service executive the details of their investing activities, as the amounts involved will vary in the normal course of business and are in any event subject to independent audit.

§ Mr. Milburn
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 17 MayOfficial Report, column 417, which trusts have been investigated by the NHS executive for (a) merger and (b) dissolution.
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§ Mr. Sackville
The circumstances of each trust that materially failed to meet a financial duty in 1993–94 have been reviewed by the national health service executive to ensure that they take appropriate action in the current year. In the case of two trusts, the Royal Liverpool University hospital NHS trust and Broadgreen Hospital NHS trust, their plans include a proposal to dissolve themselves and form a new trust to run the facilities that are managed separately by them at present. As a result, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has given permission to North West regional health authority to consult on this proposal. Consultation, which lasts for three months, commenced on 16 May 1994.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library copies of reports received from practice counsellors in general pratitioner fundhold-ing practices, indicating how they intend to achieve the "The Health of the Nation" targets.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
Such information is not available centrally.