HC Deb 04 March 2004 vol 418 cc1131-2W
John Austin

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated deficit or underspend for each NHS trust in London is in the current financial year; and what cumulative deficit is being carried forward in each case. [154922]

Mr. Hutton

Audited information on the financial position of national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts. This data will be available centrally in the autumn. We have no plans to publish un-audited information.

John Austin

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust about ward closures; and if he will make a statement. [154924]

Mr. Hutton

I have had no discussions. It is for strategic health authorities (SHAs) to performance manage the national health service. I am assured by South East London SHA that, although Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust faces a number of financial pressures, it is working with its partners to manage them and to avoid any unnecessary or inappropriate impact on patient care.

Mr. Hurst

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of payments to retiring or resigning NHS trust chief executives in each year since 1990 to 2003. [156012]

Mr. Hutton

This information is not identified separately in trust financial returns.

Mr. Hurst

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the salary was of the chief executive of each NHS trust in 2003. [156013]

Mr. Hutton

The Department does not hold this information centrally but has asked national health service trusts to include the information in their annual accounts.

Mr. Cummings

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget for the Centrally Funded Initiative and Services Special Allocation was for 2003–04; whether this budget has been committed; and whether reserves from the budget will be used to meet overspends in existing primary care trust budgets in 2003–-04. [155591]

Mr. Hutton

The current budget for Centrally Funded Services and Initiatives and Special Allocations in 2003–04 is £13,030 million. This budget is fully committed and contains no reserve element.