NHS Reform

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton Excerpts

Monday 4th April 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

I agree with every word my noble friend said. It is illustrative of the truth of his remarks that, in the final year of the Labour Government, the administrative costs of the NHS rose by no less than £220 million. The rise in administrative costs was exponential. My noble friend is right: at the moment we largely have an NHS that is managerially and administratively led, rather than clinically led. We want to reverse that balance.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords—

[Baroness Tonge]

My Lords—

[The Earl of Listowel]

My Lords—

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

Will the Minister give the House two assurances? One is that the Government have done nothing that is not legal in anticipation of the Health and Social Care Bill being passed. Secondly, although he may not have the figures with him, what are the relative administrative costs of private healthcare providers and the NHS?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I do not have the figures that the noble Baroness asked me for in the second part of her question. On the first part I can give a categorical assurance: the answer is yes.