THE long-term future of a North-East hospital still remains unclear following a statement from a senior Government minister.

Last summer, Health Secretary John Reid addressed growing concern over the future of the University Hospital in Hartlepool by insisting the town would still have "a full and proper hospital service" after a review of Tees Valley healthcare.

Earlier this week, Health Minister Melanie Johnson told the House of Commons there was no going back on Mr Reid's commitment.

But she told Hartlepool MP Iain Wright she could not make any commitments on the outcome of the review of Tees Valley healthcare until it was published in the summer.

The minister's comments followed a question by Mr Wright in which he insisted that there should be no closure or downgrading of the hospital.

The hospital has made headlines recently because of the number of proposals about its future in an NHS review of health care in the region.

One option involves closing it and building a hospital between Hartlepool and Stockton.

Further doubt was cast over its future earlier this month when a Government planning inspector proposed building houses on the hospital's land.

During his speech in the House of Commons, Mr Wright said that health services in Hartlepool remained under-funded.

He also criticised proposals to move the hospital to a greenfield site serving both Stockton and Hartlepool. He said it would not be "conducive to effective health care".