Health: Government Spending

Lord Warner Excerpts

Monday 14th June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, there are several principles. A reduction in the number of arm’s-length bodies is only one of the possible outcomes. As I have said, we are not looking necessarily for a large-scale reduction in numbers, but we want to see both efficiency and the delivery of quality. With those two ends in view, the bodies that we end up with have to make sense in terms of what matters in our wider system reform, which is, as I have said, to deliver quality.

[Lord Warner]

My Lords, the Minister has said that he will be looking at functions in the review of bodies and that he will be looking to save one-third of running costs. In carrying out this review, will PCTs be examined carefully in terms of divesting themselves of their provider-arm functions so that they can concentrate on their commissioning functions?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, strictly speaking, primary care trusts are not considered to be arm’s-length bodies, but the coalition agreement, which I am sure the noble Lord has read from cover to cover, indicates the new role and the functions envisaged for PCTs. Further details of our plans will be announced very soon.