An additional £15 million is to be allocated this year for health and social services in the North, the Northern Health Minister, Mr Tony Worthington, said yesterday. The money became available because of reduced spending in other areas and the settlement of the legal action over the collapse of the De Lorean car firm.
While he recognised that some boards and trusts were having financial problems as a result of service cuts imposed by the previous British government, those who had "failed to make real efforts" to resolve their problems would not benefit from the funds, he warned.