HC Deb 15 July 1994 vol 246 cc827-9W
Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes were made to the allocations to any of the trusts, directly managed units or other areas in Lothian for capital building programmes or for revenue during the past eight months.

Mr. Lang

The information requested spans two financial years. Revenue allocations are subject to numerous revision by the management executive during the course of a financial year. The original 1993–94 revenue allocation to Lothian health board was £358.175 million. By November 1993 it had been adjusted to £401.554 million and by March 1994 stood at £406.533 million. The original 1994–95 allocation was £364.805 million and is currently £419.642 million.

Lothian health board's original 1993–94 capital allocation for its building programme, including provision for its directly managed units, was £24.429 million. Changes to the allocation by the management executive were limited to projects that had a total cost of more than £1 million. These accounted for £12.708 million of the 1993–94 capital allocation. By November 1993 and March 1994, that sub-allocation stood at £11.202 million and £10.002 million respectively.

The West Lothian NHS trust was the only trust in Lothian in 1993–94. Its opening capital was £3.080 million and its business plan income forecast was £63.639 million. At November 1993, there had been no change to the capital allocation and by 31 March 1994 the allocation was £2.896 million.

The 1994–95 allocations for all Lothian NHS trusts currently remain as notified to them on 8 February 1994.

Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes there were in the capital revenue allocations to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh or to the priority services unit in Lothian in the past eight months.

Mr. Lang

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh priority services unit were directly managed units under Lothian health board until 1 April 1994. Lothian health board's initial 1993–94 capital allocation included specified project provision of £2.245 million for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and £4.065 million for the Edinburgh priority services unit. Lothian health board was responsible for the financial management of the specified projects, although allocation adjustments for underspends on projects with a total cost of more than £1 million were subject to Scottish Office approval. Details of the allocation changes for the Royal Infirmary and the priority services unit projects with a total cost of more than £1 million, as approved by the NHS executive, are set out in the table.

The 1994–95 capital allocations for both the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust and Edinburgh Healthcare NHS trust currently remain at the levels notified to them by the Scottish Office on 8 February 1994.

Table to show changes to 1993–94 capital allocations for projects with a total cost of £1 million or more
£ million
Opening allocation Final Approval
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Liver Transplant Unit 0.170 0.246
Dental Hospital 0.700 0.243
Residential Nurses Homes 0.000 0.657
Edinburgh Priority Services Unit
Royal Edinburgh Ward Upgrade 0.765 1.235
Gogarburn Hospital 2.000 2.110
Royal Edinburgh Hospital 1.000 1.424

Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the capital allocation for all trusts, directly managed units and other areas in Lothian for the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95;

(2) when the capital building programme allocation to Lothian health board was determined for the financial years 1993–94 and 1994–95.

Mr. Lang

Lothian health board was notified of their capital building programme allocation for 1993–94 in a letter dated 20 December 1992, and a letter dated 17 December 1993 for 1994–95. The allocations for all other health boards were notified on the same dates.

The capital allocation letter for health boards covers their hospital building programme, equipment and information technology provision. The letters for NHS trusts, issued on 16 February 1993 and 8 February 1994 respectively, provided their overall external financing limit and included details of the capital provision used in calculating the limit.

The information requested on capital allocations is set out in the table.

1993–94 Allocations to: Current 1994–95 Allocations
£ £
Lothian Health Board (Gross allocation) 24,429,000 4,969,000
West Lothian NHS Trust 2,896,000 2,003,000
East and Midlothian NHS Trust 1,368,000
Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust 5,416,000
Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust 1,472,000
Royal Infirmary NHS Trust 6,673,000
Western General Hospitals NHS Trust 6,166,000