§ 21. Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairmen of NHS trusts to discuss administrative costs. [35802]
§ Mr. MaloneI meet national health service trust chairmen regularly. The Government are committed to the effective management of the NHS and to reducing unnecessary bureaucracy. Our programme for streamlining NHS management will release £300 million for patient care by the end of 1997. We have also launched and are now implementing two efficiency scrutinies which will reduce bureaucracy—eliminating over 17 million forms a year.
§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of his departmental expenditure is allocated to administration. [35796]
§ Mr. HoramSpending on administration in all health authorities, the Prescription Pricing Authority, the Dental Practice Board, the Departmental of Health and on general practitioner fundholder management allowances accounted for 4.8 per cent. of total departmental expenditure in 1994–95.