asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to improve the provision of maternity services in the area of South Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire.

Service planning issues are primarily matters for the health authorities. The planning for a new obstetric unit to be built at Wexham Park is currently being undertaken by the Oxford regional health authority and Berkshire area health authority. In the shorter term the area health authority is making efforts to recruit more trained midwives.