§ 7. Mr. Robert Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums of money were paid by each regional hospital board to private engineering consultants and private architectural consultants in connection with hospital development in the years 1965 to 1970, inclusive.
§ Mr. MonroDuring the financial year 1970-71 payments by Scottish regional hospital boards to private engineering consultants, private architectural consultants and private quantity surveyors totalled £1,481,304.The component 985 amounts for the various regional hospital boards I shall, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Similar information is not readily available for earlier years.
§ Mr. HughesWill the Under-Secretary concede that £1½ million is a considerable sum? Is it the hon. Gentleman's intention to establish the common services agency under the reorganisation of the Health Service in such a way as to make it unnecessary to employ outside consultants for work which can be done within the National Health Service?
§ Mr. MonroIt is entirely up to regional hospital boards or to the bodies set up under the new organisation to make this decision for themselves.
The information is as follows:
Payments during financial year 1970–71 by Scottish regional hospital boards to private engineering consultants, private architectural consultants and private quantity surveyors:
Northern Region 57,445 North-Eastern Region 70,455 Eastern Region 185,579 South-Eastern Region 172,550 Western Region 995,275 Total 1,481,304