§ 6. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Health whether the date has been fixed for the commencement of building of the new general hospital at Barnstaple.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonWe expect to start the first phase next month.
§ Mr. MillsWill the Minister bear in mind that, although this news is welcome, delay in hospital building has now spread to the Exeter Hospital as well, causing concern in the South-West? Does he not agree that this makes rather a mockery of the Socialist election manifesto which says that the National Health Service
… has been starved of resourcesand hospital building has beenbogged down for lack of funds"?
§ Mr. RobinsonThe Question relates to Barnstaple, not Exeter, but the hon. Member knows perfectly well that £5 million more is being devoted this year to hospital building than his own party planned when it was in Government. The hon. Member also knows that the hospital plan is now under review and perhaps he will reserve his general comments on the matter until that review is published.
§ Mr. ThorpeSince this is the third occasion on which the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) has been kind enough to raise matters of hospital building in my constituency without my prior notice, may I say that I am delighted that the Conservative Party has now realised the urgency of stepping up the hospital building programme in the area? Is not it a fact that the starting date next month is already scheduled and that what we are waiting for now is the second phase which the previous Administration postponed for three years? Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the review of the priorities will be available?
§ Mr. RobinsonIt is the second phase that is being reviewed in the current programme. I shall not be able to give the hon. Member a firm answer on that subject until we have the review completed in the first half of next year.