Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust

HC Deb 04 December 2002 vol 395 cc892-3W

Mr. Wilshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the overspending by the Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals NHS trust. [85224]

Ms Blears

Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals NHS trust is aware of the duty it has to ensure that sound financial management is practiced and also the need to achieve a break-even position at the end of the financial year. The current deficit is the subject of discussion between the trust's commissioning primary care trusts and the strategic health authority.

On the question of the management of the trust's underlying deficit, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 October 2002, Official Report, column 402W.