My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health (Patricia Hewitt) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

My department published on 11 August 2006 the NHS financial performance for the first quarter of 2006-07. The report indicates that the NHS is on track to achieve our aim of a net financial balance by the end of the year. The report shows that the NHS as a whole is forecasting a small surplus for the year of £18 million, after application of a £350 million contingency created by the Strategic Health Authorities.

The report is available in the Library and is published on the department’s website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/79/95/04137995.pdf