§ Mr. John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead)I have a petition from residents of Erith, Slade Green, Belvedere and Northumberland Heath in the London borough of Bexley, and a petition in like form signed by more than 1,000 residents is being delivered to the regional health authority.
The petition declares that
there is a great need for a new health centre in Erith, which has been in the planning process for many years; that the Government decided initially that this should be provided under the private finance initiative, but has now concluded that this would not represent best value for money; and that it should be financed by traditional public finance, although capital funding has not been identified for this purpose.The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for Health, in conjunction with the Bexley and Greenwich health authority, London borough of Bexley council and the Oxleas Trust to ensure that this much needed health centre project goes ahead.
§ To lie upon the Table.