§ Mr. HobanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the allocation of responsibility between a primary care trust and a hospital trust in the event that the latter incurs a financial deficit. [78173]
§ Mr. HuttonNational health service trusts should ensure they do not incur a financial deficit. However, the underlying cause of a financial problem and the identification of any remedial action necessary needs to be handled jointly between primary care trusts and NHS trusts and managed overall by the strategic health authority.