HC Deb 12 June 1984 vol 61 cc743-4
1. Mr. Christophepher Hawkins

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what precisely he gives to the National Health Service capital programme.

The Secretary of State for Social Services (Mr. Norman Fowler)

The Government give high priority to investing capital in the NHS. Capital expenditure in 1983–84 was 23.5 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1978–79 when we took office.

Mr. Hawkins

Is it not a fact that, despite Opposition claims that we have been cutting the Health Service, we are now including the biggest hospital building and rebuilding programme that Britain has seen since 1948? Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that he will continue to concentrate spending on the areas of most need?

Mr. Fowler

Certainly, I give my hon. Friend that assurance. My hon. Friend is correct, inasmuch as we are seeking to restore the cuts that were made to the capital programme by the previous Labour Government, when the capital programme was cut by one third.

Mr. Pavitt

Does the Secretary of State regard the £30,000 invested in the training of each nurse as one of the priorites in his capital programme? If so, would it not have been more appropriate for him to have given the House the opportunity to consider the review body's report on nurses than to have the information given by the Prime Minister in a written answer on Friday?

Mr. Fowler

The hon. Gentleman is mistaken. First, it was on Thursday. Secondly, it is customary to announce the review body's recommendations and the decision on them in that way. Thirdly, that matter has nothing to do with the NHS capital programme.

Mr. Carter-Jones

What about those new buildings which have been put up but not opened because of cutbacks on current account?

Mr. Fowler

We have been trying to achieve a better planning system in the Health Service than the one that we inherited. In the past, all too often capital projects went ahead without any thought to the revenue consequences. Fortunately, we have managed to reform that, where the previous Labour Government failed.

Mr. Dobson

If the Minister is so proud of his efforts to increase the capital programme, when does he intend to put capital spending on the Health Service under this Government back to even the average annual level of that of the previous Labour Government?

Mr. Fowler

Between 1976 and 1978 capital spending in real terms went down fom £735 million to £571 million. I am glad to tell the hon. Gentleman that we are already considerably above that.