Orders of the Day — National Health Service (Invalid Direction) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 6:18 pm on 11 March 1980.

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Photo of Mr David Ennals Mr David Ennals , Norwich North 6:18, 11 March 1980

I have quoted exactly what the learned judge said. He said: This improved position was, however, changed by the budget proposals announced on the 12th June 1979. It is all very well for the right hon. Gentleman to complain from a sitting position, but that is what the learned judge said, and he was adjudicating on the performance of the Secretary of State himself. He said: As a result of the proposals contained in the budget, it soon became apparent to the AHA(T) that still further measures would be required to reduce expenditure. On the 10th July 1979, Mr Hardy, on behalf of the AHA(T), wrote to the Secretary of State informing him of the resolution passed by his authority asking, inter alia, for additional funds. He then went on to indicate that the underfunding was expected to come to over £3¼ million and to say"— this is a quotation from Mr. Hardy— this would be an enormous cut which would be a serious problem in itself, but coming on top of their existing financial difficulties"— difficulties which it accepted, because I had required it of the AHA— which they had been struggling very hard to combat, compounds the problem.