§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the changes in administrative work resulting from the implementation of Clauses 1 to 4 of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Bill; [16615]
582W(2) what assessment he has made of the savings in management resulting from the implementation of Clauses 1 to 4 of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Bill. [16616]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 22 November 2001]: Clauses 1 to 4 of the Bill prepare for the structural changes to the national health service. The 95 health authorities will be replaced by about 28 strategic health authorities; the eight regional offices of the Department will be abolished; and primary care trusts will be the key organisations undertaking an increased range of functions. £100 million is to be saved resulting from these changes: a combination not just of savings in management, but from a reduction in infrastructure and increases in shared services.