HC Deb 23 July 2002 vol 389 cc1084-5W
Mr. Jenkins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) progress has been made, (b) targets have been set and (c) success has been measured, in the public-private initiative in the NHS. [66897]

Mr. Hutton

[holding answer 10 July 2002]The Government set out their policies about the role of the private sector in the national health service in detail in the response to the House of Commons Health Committee's first report on the role of the private sector in the NHS, published on 10 July 2002 (Cm 5567).

The NHS plan in 2000 set two main targets for investment in new NHS buildings, involving PFI:

Target 1over 100 new hospital schemes in total between 2000 and 2010 (both public and privately financed);

Target 2over half of the major 38 schemes given the go ahead at the time (July 2000) will be open by 2003ȓ04 and the remainder will be under construction; progress against Target 1: 64 major and 33 medium-sized PFI schemes have been given the go ahead. A further four major and six medium-sized schemes are being built under the public procurement route, making a total of 107 new hospital schemes; progress against Target 2: 23 of the major PFI schemes are scheduled to become operational before the end of 2004. Three of the publicly procured schemes are scheduled to be operational by 2004; success against Targets 1 and 2: 12 major PFI schemes and eight medium-sized schemes are already built and operational, as are two of the publicly procured schemes; a further 12 major and 10 medium-sized schemes have signed final contracts and are under construction.