Health bosses have refused to release copies of legal correspondence relating to controversial Success Regime proposals.

Copeland MP Jamie Reed has discovered that the Regime spent a total of £1.2m in 2015/16 - £774,000 of which went on consultancy services and a further £20,000 on legal advice.

But when he asked the West, North and East Cumbria Success Regime to disclose its correspondence with law firm Capsticks, bosses refused.

Mr Reed has hit out at the decision, saying he was "dismayed" that local people who will be affected by the Regime's planned health reforms are not able to see how bosses are using taxpayers money.

The Success Regime was set up by the Government to tackle deep-rooted problems in the local NHS, which is about £70m in deficit. Bosses predict that rising to £163m by 2020 if nothing changes.

But the plans they have drawn up have attracted huge opposition from right across north, west and east Cumbria, with many claiming they are unsafe and would have a devastating impact on communities.

The Healthcare for the Future plan, currently out to consultation, includes downgrading maternity and other urgent care services in the west, forcing seriously ill patients to travel more than 40 miles for care.

It would also see community hospitals in Wigton, Maryport and Alston lose all their beds, with more care instead delivered at home.

There have to-date been serious criticisms of the public consultation process from several campaign groups, with some questioning whether it meets all of the statutory legal requirements.

Mr Reed submitted a Freedom of Information request to NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is part of the Success Regime and has legal responsibility for the consultation.

But it was refused, with the CCG stating that the information requested was exempt from the act due to legal professional privilege.

Mr Reed said this information should not be kept secret.

“I am disappointed that the Success Regime has refused to disclose copies of correspondence with the Capsticks law firm. In the interests of openness with the Cumbrian public, and to demonstrate what our money is being spent on, I would have hoped that the information would have been published.

“Secrecy about NHS service reconfiguration has been a real concern nationwide in relation to Sustainable Transformation Plans, and it’s of vital importance that the public are made aware of all communications had by the Regime, including with law firms, about the future of our local services," he said.

Following the refusal, Mr Reed submitted a Parliamentary question to the Secretary of State for Health, asking how much has been spent to date on legal fees by the Cumbria Success Regime.

In response, health minister Philip Dunne said: "In 2015/16 the total expenditure on the West, North and East Cumbria Success Regime was £1.2m. Of this, £774,000 was spent on consultancy services and a further £20,000 on legal advice."

The Success Regime declined to comment, other than to say Mr Reed's request was exempt from the FOI legislation due to legal professional privilege.