HC Deb 25 April 1955 vol 540 cc602-3
20. Mr. Stokes

asked the Minister of Health to give an estimate of the cost of acquiring land required for the major new hospital building projects to be undertaken in 1956–57 and 1957–58; and what proportion of the announced expenditure for those years of £7½ million and £.10 million, respectively, represents the probable cost of land acquisition.

Mr. Iain Macleod

The full list of major new hospital building projects to be started in 1956–57 and 1957–58 is not yet settled and no complete estimate can therefore be given of the cost of the land to be acquired. The land required for the projects already selected—that is, those I mentioned in my Statement—is expected, on present information, to cost about £20,000. The figures of £ 7½ million and £10 million, which relate to the total value of projects to be started in 1956–57 and 1957–58, do not include expenditure on land.

Mr. Stokes

The Minister will agree that £20,000 does not in any way represent the cost of the land. If these projects are to go on in 1956–57 and 1957–58, what is holding up an estimate of what the land will cost? Surely the Minister's Department must have some idea, or is it so bad that it does not dare to tell us?

Sir. T. Moore

Silly.

Mr. Stokes

Who says I am silly?

Mr. Macleod

I did not. The answer is, of course, that in most of the cases which are sufficiently far forward to have been announced in the list I gave to the House, we already have the land and the cost does not therefore arise. I cannot give an exact estimate, beyond that £20,000, until I have finalised the list of projects for the future.