Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Ackner (Crossbench). It was answered on Wednesday, 14 December 2005.

NHS Funding: Patient Care

Question: My Lords, have the Government made any estimate of the effect of the embargo on non-serious operations on the NHS deficit? If the deficit is not cleared off, will it be carried forward into the next fiscal year?

Answer: My Lords, all deficits are carried forward into the next financial year. That is a long-standing practice. Not to do so would mean that people could go on spending other people’s money without any consequences. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State made clear the position on deferred operations, but she did so in the context that all hospitals will achieve a maximum waiting time of six months by the end of this year, compared with the 18 months’ waiting time when this Government came to office.

Secondary information