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NHS Deficits

Does my hon. Friend agree that in respect of funding we are currently using proxies of health need rather than health need itself? Does he also agree that if we are to use a crude proxy, the most accurate crude proxy of health need is age, not prosperity? This Government are deliberately using deprivation as the key determinant of health need, whereas if a crude proxy is wanted, age is a better one. The most important thing that the Government can do is to take lessons from this cross-party report, which says that we must get rid of proxies of need and use actual health need as the future funding determinant. I hope that we shall hear that that is the case from the Minister today. [Interruption.] If that were to happen, instead of mere barracking from those on the Labour Benches, positive steps would be taken as real health need would be made the basis of the funding formula for health care in the future.