§ 21. Dr. StoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposed hospital for Dartford under the PFI scheme. [424]
§ Mr. MilburnThe trust and their private sector partner have signed a commercial contract for the provision of a new district general hospital. The NHS (Private Finance) Bill to clarify existing powers to trusts to enter into PFI agreements will provide the private sector partner with the reassurance it has been seeking to enter into a PFI contract and it is expected that this scheme will now progress rapidly to financial close, with work on site starting very shortly afterwards.