§ 53. Mr. Allasonasked the Minister of Health whether, despite the expiry of the agreement with the Association of Municipal Corporations, on the return of hospitals taken over from local authorities under the National Health Service Act, 1946, he will deal with the Tring Isolation Hospital in accordance with the terms of that agreement.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. J. Enoch Powell)No, Sir. The agreement was a once and for all arrangement, applying to properties which were not held for hospital purposes at the inception of the National Health Service. This was not the case with Tring Isolation Hospital.
§ Mr. AllasonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that my constituents feel very deeply about this matter? This is a hospital which was declared redundant in 1947. It was then taken over without compensation in 1948 and the local authority asked for it back in 1951. It has never been used, so far as I am aware, and now we are being asked to pay £5,000 to have it back. Will the Minister please think again whether he should not be a little generous in this matter?
§ Mr. PowellThis hospital was duly vested in the Crown on the inception of the National Health Service. It has since then been used for the purposes of the Service by being held available for emergency use. It would be quite impossible to treat it differently from any other Crown property.