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NHS Deficits

I agree with the hon. Gentleman. I will return to that issue later. When establishing a funding formula, nobody ever looks at how much it costs to deliver a similar service in different parts of the country. The costs in the south of England—the costs of living and accommodation—have an impact on what can be spent on front-line services. Many would agree that such costs are taken into account inadequately. It is no coincidence that the somewhat lengthy Government response that tried to explain NHS deficits mentioned that there was a triangular-shaped area in the south of England that was particularly prone to deficits in the latest financial year.