Clause 7 - Funding of strategic health authorities
NHS Reform and Health Care
10:15 am
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford, Conservative)
My hon. Friend the Member for North-East Hertfordshire raised the important issue of underspend, and I thank the Minister for a comprehensive response, even though he is not an accountant. However, the issue still concerns me. My hon. Friend talked about an underspend of £700 million. The Minister said that, for sound and common-sense reasons, a third of that figure—just over £200 million—would be a contingency fund. That reduces the underspend to approximately £0.5 billion. The Minister then identified £200 million that must be carried over to the current financial year. I can understand that, without knowing the budget items for which that figure must be carried over.
The Minister also mentioned £140 million for capital projects. If my mathematics are right, there is a remaining underspend in the NHS of approximately £110 million. That is a small amount of money in terms of Government public spending, but a considerable amount of money to me and you, Mr. Hurst, as we both represent constituencies in mid-Essex. We all know that the hospital waiting lists in mid-Essex have never been shorter than when the Government came to power in May 1997. You probably had the same experience as I did, Mr. Hurst, when you were canvassing in the streets of Braintree and villages in your constituency.