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Health Inequalities

I am always grateful to my hon. Friend for his support and encouragement. I am sure that he agrees that change must be put in context. I challenge the picture that the Opposition parties wish to paint—that nothing has been done. We are the first Government to do so, and we are making progress, but more must be done. My hon. Friend the Member for Wigan focused particularly on resource allocation. Investment in the NHS has trebled since 1997 and now stands at £90 billion of public money. To ensure that the money reaches those in most need, the PCTs' revenue allocation fairer funding formula takes account of deprivation, need and unmet need. We are tackling health inequalities through mainstream core funding, but my hon. Friends have quite rightly questioned some of the provision. They know that we inherited a situation in which some PCTs were getting more than they should, and it takes time to adjust that. I give credit to my hon. Friend for the pressure under which he has kept the Government, ensuring particularly that the pace of change policy closed the gap. ACRA, the independent body overseeing the development of weighted capitation, is considering a review of how that formula works and whether it delivers the outcome that we expect. I can give my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr. Wright) the reassurance he seeks. We have not yet received ACRA's recommendations. When we do, we will consider carefully before deciding whether, when and how the formula should be changed, for the reasons that he mentioned. Under the fair funding formula, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT received an allocation of £449.1 million. During the two-year period 2006-08, it has benefited from a total resource increase of £74 million, or 19.7 per cent., which is greater than the average national increase. It has also received £4.8 million in additional funding through allocations from the £553 million. Under the pace of change process, we have continued to reduce the gap. To follow the comments made by my hon. Friends, we as a Government have faced up to the problems of health inequalities, but we must now act. Improving the health of the nation means ensuring that those with the poorest health improve the fastest. I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. I listened carefully to the comments and representations made, and I shall take them back with me to the Department of Health.