§ 8. Dame Irene Wardasked the Minister of Health, in respect of the new capital programme announced for the hospital service, if he will state, per 1,000 of the population, the value to each region of the allocation.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithIf, as I assume is the case, my hon. Friend is referring to the major centrally-financed projects which I particularised in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford (Lord Balniel) on 16th November, it is too soon to give the desired evaluation, as precise cost and date of commencement must depend on detailed planning. In addition to these centrally-financed major projects, there are the normal allocations to regional hospital boards for their own work; and my aim is to deal fairly with all regions, taking into account both types of project.
§ Dame Irene WardWould I be right in assuming from that somewhat unsatisfactory reply that in its new capital allocation the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board will be catching up on the deficiencies which we have had to carry because of the pressure over very many years? Can I have a specific assurance on that point?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithWhatever my hon. Friend might feel about the reply, the fact is that the Newcastle Region is ahead of the average in the amount of capital expenditure on hospitals devoted to it, because up to the end of the last financial year in England and Wales, 8.2 per cent. of our capital expenditure on hospitals went to that region against the proportion of population of only 6.6 per cent. We are also taking into account all the deficiencies in existing resources in the major projects to which I have referred. Two new hospitals, at Hensingham and North Tees-side, have been provided for in this programme, with no fewer than ten other major projects.
§ Dame Irene WardOn a point of order. Since I have not had time thoroughly to examine the answers given by my right hon. and learned Friend and my hon. Friend, if they should prove to 1036 be unsatisfactory, I beg to give notice that, when the House resumes after the Christmas Recess, I will pursue the matter on the Adjournment.
§ Mr. SpeakerProvisional notice given.
§ 24. Mr. Peytonasked the Minister of Health if, in view of the desire of regional hospital boards to plan their building programmes in such a way as to eliminate avoidable delay, he will make an early statement concerning the centrally-financed projects which will be commenced during the next three financial years.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithHospital boards have already been asked to plan all the major schemes that are likely to be started in the next three years.
§ Mr. PeytonDoes my right hon. and learned Friend appreciate that this uncertainty as to what they can spend and when they can spend it is a source of great difficulty to regional hospitals boards? Will he do his best to produce a long-term plan to enable them to know where they stand? So far as I understand from his Answer, the difficulty is that they have been asked to say what schemes are likely to be started, but the initiative, surely, should come from him?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithWe are doing our best in this direction. Hospital boards have been told that the total capital allocations for the next financial year are £25½ million and, for the year following, £31 million. We have large projects to the ultimate value of nearly £40 million which we expect to start in the next two years, and we also have schemes, which the boards have been asked to plan and on which work has not yet started, to the value of nearly £80 million. So I think the boards will find that there is plenty of work for them to be getting on with in the next few years.
§ Mrs. BraddockIs the Minister aware that although the money might be available there are not enough people in the architectural and planning departments of regional boards for them to be able to get anywhere near the estimates of spending which he has just given? What steps is he taking to see that the departments concerned which have to 1037 do the planning and architectural work are built up with the necessary personnel to get on with the jobs it is necessary to do?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI have this matter in mind. There is considerable pressure on the architectural skill of the country, but we are doing what we can to help. In particular, we have expanded our own design unit at the Ministry so that we can furnish the greatest help by way of designs, suggestions and so on.