§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the 10-year energy conservation programme in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Department made special allocations of £13.3 million over the three-year period 1978–79 to 1980–81 to health authorities in England for energy conservation measures.
Health authorities were expected to supplement these allocations from 1979–80 onwards from their own savings resulting from the programme to achieve a minimum average investment of £8 million annually. The programme was intended to secure a total investment for hospitals in England of £28 million over the four years 1978–79 to 1981–82. Thereafter it was considered that the investment of savings resulting from this programme would enable an energy saving programme to continue at this level. This programme is part of the National Health Service's continuing effort in this field which overall has led to a current annual saving of £68 million.
§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate what measures he is taking to promote both the identification of energy savings in the National Health Service and reinvestment of savings arising from the energy conservation programme in the National Health Service.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Department continues to issue guidance that will enable hospitals to monitor their energy consumption and establish targets for reducing it. A computer programme has been made available for making decisions locally, when planning long-term investment in energy saving measures.
The Department's guidance indicates the financial advantages to be obtained from energy conservation and encourages health authorities to re-invest savings along with other cost reduction measures.
§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings have been made in each year since 1977 in the National Health Service as a result of the 395W energy conservation programme; how much has been reinvested in the programme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenSavings resulting from the energy conservation programme in the National Health Service since 1977 are as shown in the following table.
Savings £ million Year Over 1972–73 (at 1982–83 price levels) Over each previous year (at 1982–83 price levels) 1978–79 37.222 11.777 1979–80 48.528 11.306 1980–81 54.499 5.971 1981–82 60.216 5.717 1982–83 67.925 7.709 Totals 268.390 42.480 The figures do not take account of changes in the size of the NHS estate. Figures for 1983–84 are not yet available.
Records are not kept centrally of the amount spent by the NHS on energy conservation, but as the average annual saving over the five year period was £8.5 million substantial investment by the NHS would have been required to achieve these savings.