HC Deb 11 November 1997 vol 300 cc534-5W
12. Ms McCafferty

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria govern the qualifications and experience required for membership fo NHS trusts. [13820]

Mr. Milburn

The Government's new criteria are designed to make boards more representative of the communities they serve and to encourage more National Health Service users and carers to become board members. Candidates should live in the area served by the trust, and demonstrate a commitment to the NHS and to the local community.

19. Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in respect of which projects the extra money made available for the NHS in the 1997 Budget has been allocated. [13828]

Mr. Milburn

The additional resources will be used to help hospitals cope with emergencies, reduce delays in discharge, support primary, community and social care services to keep people out of hospital where possible and begin to restrain the growth in waiting lists. The resources represent an investment for the long term in making the whole health and social services system work better in the future.

26. Mr. Skinner

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the regional distribution of the extra funding which he is providing for the NHS over the winter period. [13835]

Mr. Milburn

Distribution to the eight regional offices has been made on a basis pro-rata to the allocations that their health authorities received for 1997–98. This has given fair regional shares within which the resources can be targeted quickly at areas with greatest need.

29. Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for removing the market forces factor from NHS financial allocations. [13838]

Mr. Milburn

We acknowledge that there are concerns in the National Health Service over the way the current market forces factor (MFF) operates.

We have asked the new Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation to undertaken a full review of the staff MFF.

For 1998–99 the staff MFF component of the weighted capitation formula has been modified.

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