Oral Answers to Questions

Fabian Hamilton Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

5. What plans he has to allocate resources to local authorities when they assume responsibility for public health.

[Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East) (Lab)]

9. What plans he has to allocate resources to local authorities when they assume responsibility for public health.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

10. What steps he plans to take to ensure that the allocation of public health funding reduces health inequalities.

--- Later in debate ---

[Anne Milton]

We have commissioned advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation and recently completed a survey of current NHS spend on public health. As the hon. Lady says, allocation needs to be weighted for inequalities and we are particularly keen that the committee develops a formula that captures within-area deprivation, which has been an issue in the past. Otherwise, affluent areas with pockets of deprivation tend to be ignored. If we want to improve the health of the poorest fastest, we must consider the heath need and deprivation.

[Fabian Hamilton]

Will the Minister reassure my constituents that when the money is transferred to local authorities, the staff will also be transferred from the NHS to those local authorities? Will there be sufficient resource within them to keep employing some of the excellent staff who currently work in the NHS?

[Anne Milton]

The hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to the excellent work that has been done despite the fact that public health budgets have not previously been ring-fenced. Indeed, what we have seen previously is PCTs raiding public health budgets for service provision, which is one reason why inequalities in health have got worse. It is extremely important that we transfer expertise, and employment law will ensure that all the transition is managed smoothly.