BOLTON South East MP Brian Iddon has called on the Prime Minister to increase funding for the town's cash-strapped hospital to meet increasing demand.

Dr Iddon told a packed House of Commons that the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority had been underfunded by £13 million in the last 12 months.

During parliamentary question time yesterday, Dr Iddon said news of the increase in Government funding for the NHS -- and the introduction of Bolton's Primary Care Trust next spring -- was an ideal time to address capacity problems at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Prime Minister Tony Blair refused to discuss health in Bolton, but said extra funding was to be brought into the NHS to address some of the issues raised by Dr Iddon.

Mr Blair told Dr Iddon: "It is not just the additional resources that are needed in the health service. We also need to carry out the reforms, in particular so that by 2004, 75 per cent of the money in the health service will be spent through primary care trusts. That is a huge reform in itself.

"A series of negotiations are under way that will change the contracts of doctors, consultants and nurses to provide greater flexibility and better incentives.

"The national service frameworks in each main disease area will give us national minimum standards right across the piece.

"We must make sure that the money is properly spent to deliver better health care. The reform and the investment go together."

John Brunt, chief executive of the Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust, welcomed the Prime Minister's remarks on increased investment.

Mr Brunt said he was pleased Dr Iddon had taken the opportunity to make the Prime Minister aware of the pressures facing the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Mr Brunt said: "The Prime Minister said most of the funding for the NHS would be going directly to the Primary Care Trusts in future and we look forward to close working with our partners at Bolton's new PCT when it is formally established in April.

"It was also interesting to hear him say that as well as NHS reform there needed to be investment.

"I certainly agree with this and will be hoping for a large amount of additional funding to address our priority of expanding capacity at the hospital."

Mr Brunt said the main priority was to reduce waiting times and cancelled operations.