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Health Inequalities

I will be very quick, because everything has been said. Clearly, this is a major issue for Labour Members, and it is significant that the Opposition Benches are empty; either Opposition Members have no health issues to raise or their areas are well funded by the Government. All too often, we can be critical of the health service, but there has been significant investment in my constituency in the past 10 years, which has significantly improved the health of my constituents. However, there are problems with the way in which the formula is worked out. Significantly, the formula for Great Yarmouth means that we are now 3.5 per cent. below the average, but that does not tell the complete picture. Although we are underfunded, we were on target last year, but we were penalised because money was clawed back from the SHA as a result of shortfalls in other areas. In actual fact, our formula works out at about 6.9 per cent. below the average, which is a considerable amount of money—around £21 million—and it is something that we need to look at. I am aware that the Government are looking at and will probably change how the formula is calculated. I do not think that there is anything wrong with the formula per se, but the funding is not coming. I would like an assurance from the Minister that there will not be changes to the formula that would change PCT funding procedures overnight.