HL Deb 23 February 1977 vol 380 cc173-5

2.48 p.m.

Lord WALLACE of COSLANY

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 whether a definite decision has been reached on the number of beds to be allocated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, for use by the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, the scale of use of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by National Health Service patients is still under consideration by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, in consultation with my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

Lord WALLACE of COSLANY

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that there is now increasing urgency for some definite decision to be reached, because the Area Health Authority itself is heavily engaged in probable closures of hospitals. If a large number of beds is involved it will mean possibly the closure of yet another hospital. We in the area authority are desperately anxious to finalise a situation which has gone on for far too long, and for which I do not blame the Secretary of State for Social Services.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I am aware of the concern which the noble Lord has expressed. I myself have been reading the Consultative Document produced by his Area Health Authority, of which he himself is the vice-chairman. It is a very important document. It contains a number of recommendations and shows that a good deal of thought has been given to the matter by my noble friend's Area Health Authority. It is because of the importance of the document and its ramifications that my right honourable friend is bound to take it into consideration with not only the Area Health Authority but also the Regional Health Authority and the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for this new hospital which is to be opened fairly soon. These matters do take time, but I can assure your Lordships that no time is being lost in this case.

Lord MOYNE

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the military authorities have announced that the civilian facilities for emergencies which it was understood would still be available in the remains of the Tidworth Military Hospital after its closure will not now be available? Would the noble Lord look into that question, which seems to have some parallel with the Question on the Order Paper, although I admit that it is going a little wide of the mark?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, if I can say so very kindlily to the noble Lord, this is ground that we have been over many times. The noble Lord and various Members of Parliament were received by my right honourable friend the Minister on this matter, and I was present. I think the noble Lord will appreciate that every possible consideration was given, though the result was not one to his liking. I do not think we can go over that ground again.