HC Deb 13 June 1955 vol 542 cc251-2
10. Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the capital allocation to the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board for the current financial year.

Mr. Iain Macleod

The approved capital allocation for the current year is approximately £660,000, excluding centrally supplied equipment.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Is the Minister aware that there are big leeways to be made up here, particularly because of the very severely cut capital provisions of the last two or three years? Cannot he do something before the end of the financial year to increase the provisions to the regional board?

Mr. Macleod

I can give no undertaking upon that, unless the other regional boards underspend. If they do, I will consider the claims of Newcastle and all other boards to a proportion of that underspending.