HC Deb 16 January 1996 vol 269 cc536-7W
Mr. Peter Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the exact amount of debt accrued by the Green Park Hospital HSS Healthcare trust as of 12 December 1995 to its creditors; and if he will list the creditors indicating the amounts owing to each. [8225]

Mr. Moss

The information is not available in the exact form requested. As at 31 December 1995, the Green Park Hospital HSS Healthcare trust had trade creditors of £1.9 million. This total comprises individual amounts in respect of some 600 creditors. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not appropriate to list amounts owed to individual creditors.

Mr. Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount of debt a self-regulatory trust is allowed to accrue at any stage during its fiscal year; and if he will indicate the figure in respect of Green Park Hospital HCC Healthcare trust. [8226]

Mr. Moss

A health and social services trust has three key financial duties. These are (1) to break even taking one year with another; (2) to make a 6 per cent. return on its relevant net assets; (3) to operate within its existing external financing limit. A trust is required to operate sound financial systems to control its income and expenditure and satisfy the duties set out in points (1) to (3). The EFL limits a trust's access to all sources of external finance, including the accumulation of trade creditors. For the year 1995–96, the Green Park Hospital HSS Healthcare trust's current EFL is £1,676,000. It should be noted that the EFL is a composite figure which takes account of the overall financial position of trust including debtor, creditor, stock and cash balances. The Green Park Hospital HSS Healthcare trust forecasts to stay within its EFL in 1995–96.