§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Wigan and Bolton health authority has used its increase in Government funding for the financial year 2002–03 to move the Bolton South East Primary Care Group closer to its target funding. [31233]
§ Jacqui SmithI apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
For 2002–03, the allocations received by the new Bolton Primary Care Trust will increase by 10.14 per cent. in comparison to the funding received in 2001–02 by the two Bolton primary care groups.
This is an above average settlement which will help to bring Bolton closer to target by almost 1 per cent. This rate of change is considered to be significant and is one which will not threaten the stability of other areas of the local health service.