To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out his powers in relation to core services provided by National Health Service trusts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his powers in respect of specifying the core services.

I do not anticipate any need to use powers of compulsion to secure the provision of necessary local services by National Health Service trusts. Nevertheless, as a last resort, paragraph 6(1) of schedule 2 to the National Health Service and Community Care Bill provides me with the necessary powers of direction to secure contractual provision.