HC Deb 21 June 1999 vol 333 cc752-3
6. Mr. Peter Viggers (Gosport)

How many representations he has received on the future of the Royal hospital, Haslar. [86535]

The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr. Doug Henderson)

Since 14 December 1998, my Department has received about 500 representations on the future of the Royal hospital, Haslar. That figure includes letters and petitions from hon. Members and members of the public. Together with my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, I have also had a meeting on the subject with the hon. Gentleman, as well as with my hon. Friend Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson), the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) and the right hon. Member for Fareham (Sir P. Lloyd), plus local representatives.

Mr. Viggers

But I wonder whether the Minister is being well advised on this subject. Members of the defence medical services will of course do their duty, but I would not be doing mine if I did not point out that there is a widespread and profound view in those services that the closure of the last remaining military hospital will result in a loss of skilled personnel that will take a decade or more to reverse. He has said that there is no plan to review that decision, but the only way ahead for civilian and military personnel in the Gosport peninsula is a reversal of that decision. The failure to review the decision is looking less like courageous determination and more like obstinacy.

Mr. Henderson

I recognise the hon. Gentleman's commitment to the provision of medical services, for both the civilian and military population in Gosport, and that of those who joined him in making representations to the Department. I am sure that he will also recognise that among those people and the medical staff at Haslar there was a widespread recognition that matters could not continue as they had in the past. The facilities that were necessary to advance medicine for the military and civilian sides were not in place and we were not able to recruit the right number of energetic young people to medical provision in the services. That was one of the reasons why the review that we announced recently included the opening of a new centre for defence medicine.

I can tell the hon. Gentleman and the House that seven NHS trusts have now been shortlisted to tender for the new centre for defence medicine. They are all strong candidates and will be invited to make the formal tenders in a few weeks' time, with a decision being made in December. The trusts are the Lothian University Hospital trust, Edinburgh; North Bristol NHS trust; Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospital NHS trust; Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust; the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS trust; and University Hospital Birmingham NHS trust.

Madam Speaker

Order. I remind the Minister that this is a specific question.

Mrs. Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton)

Given the appalling neglect under the previous Government of the defence medical services, and given the £140 million extra expenditure planned for four years, does my hon. Friend agree that the defence medical services, including those at Plymouth Derriford hospital, are safe only in the hands of a Labour Government?

Mr. Henderson

I believe that there needs to be a hard look at how we can make better medical provision for our military personnel. That is why that additional resource has been earmarked for that investment in the years ahead.