§ 37. Dr. David Kerrasked the Minister of Health what proposals for the building of joint Christian chapels in National Health Service hospitals are currently under consideration; and what will be their estimated total cost.
§ Mr. SnowNew hospitals normally include a chapel for use by any denomination, and the redevelopment of existing hospitals often does so. The cost is not always separately identifiable, and figures are not collected centrally.
§ Dr. KerrWill my hon. Friend note that even irreclaimable atheists like myself pay tribute to the value of spiritual work done in hospitals by members of various denominations but that we are also concerned to see that surgeons need operating theatres and should get them, whereas spiritual ministers can operate very effectively without the use of chapels?
§ Mr. SnowYes, Sir. If I might say so, I think that that is a glimpse of the obvious, but the cost of chapels is very small, amounting to less than 0.5 per cent. of the cost of a whole hospital.