§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what assessment he made of the financial viability of the Royal Scottish national hospital management application for trust status before giving it approval;
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of a detailed statement of the financial accounts of the Royal Scottish national hospital trust since its inception;
(3) if he will conduct a thorough investigation into the finances of the Royal Scottish national hospital before deciding on the application for merger with Forth Valley Healthcare;
(4) if he will arrange for an independent inquiry into the finances of the Royal Scottish national hospital trust.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 28 March 1994]: A thorough assessment of the finances of the Royal Scottish national NHS trust involving financial consultants was made during the public consultation period on the hospital's trust application. Trust status would not have been granted if the hospital had been considered not to be financially viable. The trust is required to make monthly financial monitoring returns to the management executive and these show that the trust is on course to meet its year end financial targets for the first year of its operation. The trust must also produce an annual report including accounts in respect of its first year of operation by September 1994. This is a public document which will be obtainable from the trust.
827WIn order to inform my noble and learned Friend's decision on the merger application, a thorough assessment of the finances of the Royal Scottish national hospital and Forth Valley Healthcare will be conducted by independent financial consultants in conjunction with the management executive. There are no reasons for any further investigation or independent inquiry.