HC Deb 29 October 2002 vol 391 c744W
19 Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the merging of NHS trusts; [75370]

26 Mr. Burnett

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his policy for merging acute NHS trusts. [75377]

Mr. Hutton

Ministers will agree to proposals from national health service trusts to merge only if we are persuaded that such a merger is in patients' interests through supporting the delivery of the targets set out in the NHS plan.