HC Deb 11 December 2001 vol 376 cc730-1W
20. Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent NHS spending has been(a) over and (b) under planned levels in the (i) financial year 2000–01 and (ii) first half of this financial year. [19675]

Mr. Hutton

The resource underspend for the Department of Health (which includes national health service spending) in 2000–01 was £712 million. The Department plans to spend all resources in the current financial year. To ensure that best use is made of resources in year, end-year flexibility arrangements allow expenditure to be carried forward into the next financial year.