HC Deb 18 November 2003 vol 413 c852W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he made of the effects of piloting the proposals for NHS foundation trusts before allowing their roll-out in England. [139117]

Mr. Hutton

Piloting was a consideration as the proposals for national health service foundation trusts were developed. However, it was concluded that piloting would not achieve the radical and comprehensive reform that is required to deliver the freedoms and local accountability central to the Government's policy on NHS foundation trusts. There will, however, be opportunities to learn from the experience of the first wave NHS foundation trust applications.