Written Statement on the death of Lord Trafford

The Prime Minister has paid tribute to the Health Minister, Lord Trafford, who's died after a short illness at the age of fifty-seven.

Mrs Thatcher said Lord Trafford had won respect and friendship both as a doctor and a politician; he had been expected to make an “exceptional contribution” as a health spokesman.

Lord Trafford was a consultant at the Royal Sussex Hospital, where he treated the survivors of the bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton five years ago. He became a minister in the July reshuffle. Speaking on Radio Four, the Health Secretary Mr Kenneth Clarke, described Lord Trafford as a man of great judgement and experience.