§ Mr. Ian BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on future hospital capital spending.
§ Mr. FreemanExchequer provision for health authority capital spending for the next three years was announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement. Government spending on capital in the NHS will amount to some £1,086 million next year, a real terms increase of 12.4 per cent. over 1989–90. In addition health authorities will continue to benefit from receipts from land and property sales.
The Government attach the highest priority to improving and modernising health buildings and throughout England over 500 schemes each costing over £1 million with a total value of over £5 billion are at various stages of planning, design and construction.