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NHS Deficits

I intend to. The Committee recommended a review of the funding formula. We took a host of evidence on that, but there was little agreement. The review is being undertaken by the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation. It is useful to note that the change to practice-based commissioning might mean that we have to look at these matters a little differently. That was a positive response from the Government. The Liberal Democrats welcome the news that the market forces factor will also be considered. It is clear that the cost of providing services in rural areas is particularly high, as is the cost of providing services in the south of England. While no one would argue that the areas of highest deprivation do not require some extra funding, there is a case for ring-fencing some of that funding for public health needs, so that we reduce the cycle of deprivation that is sometimes perpetuated from one generation to the next. It is disappointing to analyse the spending of spearhead primary care trusts, because there is such huge variation in the amounts of their budgets that they allocate to public health. If we are to help some of those areas to achieve better health outcomes in the longer term, surely greater attention needs to be devoted to the amount of money spent on public health.