HC Deb 19 March 2002 vol 382 cc298-9W
Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the benefit to Somerset of having a strategic health authority with Dorset. [38480]

Ms Blears

The benefits of creating a new Health Authority for Somerset and Dorset were set out in the consultation document "Modernising the NHS: Shifting the Balance of Power in Somerset and Dorset". This was the subject of public consultation last year by the South West Regional Office of the Department of Health. Following consideration of the responses received during the consultation exercise the boundaries of the new health authority were announced on 18 December 2001.