§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when she was informed of the West Midlands regional health authority's wish to divest itself of its management services division; what reasons were given; what was her response; what time scales for the privatisation were discussed or agreed between the authority and herself for the privatisation of the management services division; and what safeguards for staff affected by the privatisation of the management services division were discussed with her.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe decision to proceed with the management buyout of the management services division, the time scale and the detailed provisions for the buy-out were matters for the West Midlands regional health authority. The proposal was in line with Government policy for streamlining regional structures as set out in the White Paper, "Working for Patients" and later reinforced by executive letter EL(MB)(89)59 issued in March 1989.