BURNLEY MP Peter Pike today revealed he is backing controversial Government plans to reform the NHS including creating free-standing Foundation Hospitals.

Mr Pike said he supported the plans because they contained crucial measures for improving health care in the area - and especially dentistry which is in crisis in his constituency and across East Lancashire.

The Labour backbencher spoke out following the publicity about the 65-strong revolt against the plans on the government benches.

His Pendle neighbour Gordon Prentice voted against the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill over Foundation Hospitals.

Mr Pike said: "For anyone reading the popular press, or watching the news that day, they could be forgiven for thinking that the vote was just on foundation hospitals. I voted with the Government because there are much wider issues contained in the Bill which I believe will be good news for Burnley.

"On the specific issue of foundation hospitals I do still have two remaining concerns and I have written to Alan Milburn, Secretary of State for Health, to voice these concerns and am now awaiting his response.

"My first concern is that successive governments have made too many organisational changes to the NHS - and by that I mean not just this Labour government. I really do feel that there must come a time when this continual change and restructuring has to stop and we have to give things a genuine chance to bed down.

"My other concern is that if we have to restructure now, that the community and co-operative aspects are strengthened when the Bill gets to Committee stage.

"There are many welcome measures contained in the Bill and in particular the measures tackling NHS Dental Services offer what I hope will be a real change for these services that will bring about real improvement in the provision of NHS Dental Services in Burnley.

"Constituents will know by now, that NHS Dental provision in Burnley is an issue which I continue to raise in the House of Commons with my colleagues in the Department of Health. They are aware that Burnley is one of a number of problem areas and are working with me to resolve these issues. I believe that this Bill can provide some of the frameworks for finding solutions to the NHS dental crisis in Burnley and if the Bill can bring more NHS dental services to Burnley that would be good news indeed."