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Department of Health

In his deliberations in Committee, has the right hon. Gentleman encountered a reluctance by the Government to engage with the Audit Commission, which wishes to establish exactly what the costs and out-turn are? Does he surmise that that reluctance is because the Government do not want to expose the fact that the directives, edicts and targets that they have issued have created problems for Chase Farm hospital in my constituency, for example, which has been pressurised to dismantle its accident and emergency facilities?