HC Deb 30 March 1999 vol 328 cc846-8
5. Mr. Denis Murphy (Wansbeck)

What estimate he has made of the total amount to be spent in the current financial year on improving NHS children's services. [77702]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Mr. John Hutton)

Forecast total gross expenditure on the national health service in the United Kingdom for 1998–99 is £48.1 billion. Overall funding does not distinguish between age groups, although there are specific initiatives in our expenditure plans that will be of direct benefit to children's health services. Planned gross expenditure for 1999–2000 is £50.8 billion—an increase of 3.1 per cent. in real terms.

Mr. Murphy

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Northumbria health care trust plans to build phase 2 of Wansbeck general hospital. When will that building commence and will it include the much-needed children's centre?

Mr. Hutton

I acknowledge the support that my hon. Friend has shown for the new hospital development in his constituency. The child health centre is an integrated part of the Wansbeck phase 2 scheme, which is now under private finance initiative negotiation. It is expected that a full business case will be submitted to the regional office in May 1999. The trust hopes to be in a position to complete negotiations with a PFI partner within the next few weeks and officials from the regional office and the PFI unit are working with the trust on various aspects of the deal.

Mr. Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire)

Is the Minister aware that funding of additional paediatric intensive care beds at Addenbrooke's hospital in my constituency is a priority task for the management in the financial year ahead? Is he further aware that Addenbrooke's hospital is forecasting for the first time ever a revenue deficit of £2.5 million in the year ahead? For a well-managed hospital, that is an exceptional situation. Can the Minister explain why the Government have contributed to that difficulty by imposing costs of £622,000 next year to pay for the implementation of the working time directive?

Mr. Hutton

The hon. Gentleman takes a regrettably negative tone. He has failed to acknowledge the fact—and it is a fact—that additional money is being made available to provide additional paediatric intensive care beds in the national health service.

Mr. Lansley

indicated dissent.

Mr. Hutton

It is no good the hon. Gentleman shaking his head, because that is a fact. Some £15 million is being made available to provide additional paediatric intensive care beds. He let that fact slip through his hands.

Miss Melanie Johnson (Welwyn Hatfield)

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the most unpleasant experiences for parents and children in the NHS is being rushed to accident and emergency departments with no separate facilities for children? My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had the pleasure of visiting the separate, specialist facilities in my constituency at the Queen Elizabeth II hospital, which provides an excellent service for children admitted to A and E. Can my hon. Friend comment on monitoring the expenditure of the welcome new money going into A and E provision and how it will improve services for children where there is no separate provision for them?

Mr. Hutton

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that point. She is dealing with the reality, which is that the Government are spending significant extra money modernising accident and emergency departments across the country. She, like my hon. Friends, but unlike Opposition Members, will be interested to know that some of the money in the modernisation programme will be spent on providing A and E facilities for children. That is good news and it is a pity Opposition Members are not prepared to acknowledge it.