Lord Howellasked Her Majesty's Government:
If, as proposed, a replacement hospital is built for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, at a capital cost of £200 million under the Private Finance Initiative, what would be the expected revenue costs on such a sum on an annual basis and how would these costs be met; whether they would affect the budgets of other Birmingham hospitals; and whether additional funds would be made available to help meet these revenue costs; and [HL1035]
What would be the consequences for the ancillary staffs, especially clerical, catering, cleaning and medical ancillaries, of the building of a replacement hospital for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, under the Private Finance Initiative; and what guarantees such staff would have that, following the transfer of their employment to the new private investors who would own the hospital, their wages and conditions would be safeguarded; and [HL1036]
What contractual obligations are in place to ensure the proper maintenance of any hospital built under the Private Finance Initiative to replace the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham; and whether the requirements of the hospital in this direction will always predominate. [HL1037]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Baroness Jay of Paddington)Birmingham Health Authority has just completed a consultation exercise on the future of health services in the Birmingham area. After careful analysis of the results, the health authority may initiate further consultations on service changes. Until firm plans have been agreed, Ministers cannot comment on the future of individual hospitals in Birmingham.