A YORK MP has accused Health Secretary Andrew Lansley of dodging questions about how North Yorkshire health chiefs can make huge savings over the next few years.

NHS North Yorkshire and York revealed last month that it is facing a £19 million deficit as a “best case scenario” for the coming year, and said this could spiral if attempts to claw back the shortfall fail.

The health trust is expected to have to cut costs by £230 million in the next four years and could also see £55 million a year being added to its burden because of the demands of an ageing population and drug costs rising through inflation.

York Central MP Hugh Bayley today asked Health Secretary Andrew Lansley if he would compile a publicly-available response to how NHS North Yorkshire and York will deal with the financial pressures, but had received no commitment that this would be done.

Mr Bayley said Mr Lansley, who was announcing the new NHS mandate in a statement to the House of Commons, had also said the Government would ensure financial deficits were not passed on to the new care commissioning groups when they come into force next year.