HL Deb 15 February 1966 vol 272 c971

2.45 p.m.

LORD AUCKLAND

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what constitutes a development area in respect of priorities for expenditure on new hospital projects and improvement of existing buildings.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, all capital expenditure on hospitals is exempted from deferment, regardless of where it is situated.

LORD AUCKLAND

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask him whether he is aware that in the Scottish Hospital Plan no provisions are made for extra facilities north of Dingwall? Would he tell me whether all of Scotland is a development area, and, if so, would he ask his right honourable friend whether he will revise his plan for the north tip of Scotland which is going to become considerably populated?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, Scotland will become a development area when the necessary legislation passes through Parliament. In regard to the detailed point about whether there would be a hospital North of Dingwall, obviously I could not answer that without notice, but I will certainly draw my right honourable friend's attention to it.