§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what date his Department first requested the Salford and Trafford Health Authority to withdraw its public consultation document on the future of children's health services; and on what grounds; [49359]
(2) on what grounds the Salford and Trafford Health Authority refused to withdraw its consultation paper on children's services when first requested to do so by his Department; [49360]
309W(3) on what date his Department indicated to the Salford and Trafford Health Authority that a legal direction would be issued requiring the authority to withdraw its consultation on the future of children's services; [49361]
(4) what representations he has received from health authorities which adjoin the Salford and Trafford Health Authority relating to the public consultation on the future of children's health services in Salford and Trafford; and on what dates the representations were received; [49357]
(5) what representations he has received from members of the Salford and Trafford Health Authority in relation to the consultation on the future of children's health services; and on what dates; [49358]
(6) what discussions took place between his Department and the Salford and Trafford Health Authority between the date when the authority refused the Department's request to withdraw its consultation on the future of children's services and the date when a legal direction was issued by the Secretary of State requiring the withdrawal of that document. [49356]
§ Mr. Dobson[holding answer 7 July 1998]: We have received no such representations on this matter. The legal direction was issued to, and received by, Salford and Trafford Health Authority on 30 June 1998.
I did not ask the health authority to withdraw its consultation; discussions took place between officials of the Department and representatives of Salford and Trafford Health Authority, to explore the issues and consider the options for withdrawing the proposals.
I am not aware of any representations from health authority members in relation to the consultation on the future of children's health services.
The legal direction was effective immediately and its receipt was acknowledged on 1 July 1998. The purpose of this action was to allow wider consideration of a more systematic improvement of children's services which build on our efforts over the last year to ensure that changes in health services in Manchester, Salford and Trafford are arrived at quickly and as part of an integrated approach across the Health Action Zone.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all requests which his Department has made since 2 May 1997 for health authorities to withdraw public consultation documents which have been issued in accordance with normal procedures; and in which of those cases(a) he has issued a legal direction and (b) he is considering issuing a legal direction. [49365]
§ Mr. Dobson[holding answer 7 July 1998]: The only such request made by the Department since 2 May 1997 related to the consultation document "Future Hospital Care For the Children and Young People of Salford and Trafford". This was in the form of a legal direction issued by North West Regional Office on my behalf to Salford and Trafford Health Authority. No other such direction is under consideration at the present time.