HC Deb 11 December 1956 vol 562 cc212-3
31. Mr. K. Robinson

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has now reached a decision on the recommendation of the Guillebaud Committee that hospital capital schemes of less than £100,000 should no longer require individual approval by the Treasury.

Mr. H. Brooke

Yes, Sir. Hospital capital schemes costing less than £60,000 no longer require individual approval by the Treasury.

Mr. Robinson

Is the Financial Secretary aware that the regional hospital boards will tender to the Chancellor their half-hearted thanks for his: having gone half-way to meeting this recommendation? Can he tell the House why it has not been possible to go the whole way to meeting this very modest recommendation in the Report?

Mr. Brooke

I had hoped that the hon. Member, as a member of a regional hospital board, would have been wholehearted on this occasion. The fact is that £60.000 is double the previous limit of £30,000, which is the limit that already applies to most other civil and defence building paid for by the Exchequer.

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