§ 35. Mr. McAvoyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Government's policy regarding the privatisation of national health service clinical services in Scotland. [17349]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Government are committed to a national health service delivered on the basis of clinical need, largely free at the point of delivery, and funded from taxation. The private finance initiative enables modern facilities to be provided sooner than would otherwise be possible.
The Government have consistently made it clear that they will not approve any project under the private finance initiative that includes clinical services unless it has the support of local clinicians and management.