To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to improve the GP to patient ratio in the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust in 2008; and if he will make a statement. (179624)

Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Havering PCT have both been identified as being among the 25 per cent. of PCTs with poorest provision, and will therefore receive additional investment from the £250 million access fund for new general practitioner (GP) practices and a GP-led health centre. These new services will increase capacity in the places that need it most and offer a range of innovative services such as extended opening hours and wider practice boundaries.

Redbridge PCT is ranked 57th nationally, and therefore falls outside the 25 per cent. Like every PCT, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering will be procuring one new GP-led health centre each.