asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she has received a complaint from the East Anglian Regional Health Authority that recent allocations to that authority's health service show a 2 per cent. above average increase, while the population of East Anglia has increased by 6 per cent. more than the rest of the country; and if she will take steps to ensure that the regional authority obtains a correct allocation of resources.
I have recently had representations from the Chairman of the East Anglian Regional Health Authority about the financial resources allocated to the region in relation to current forecasts of population growth. I have commissioned an urgent review of the methods of allocating capital and revenue resources with the object of ensuring that these do not militate against the most needy regions. I have assured the chairman that the particular problems affecting East Anglia will be borne in mind.