Major Lloydasked the Minister of Health the total of building and maintenance work approved by the regional hospital boards during the financial year 1951–52; what was the total approved, regionally, of items each not exceeding £10,000 or other regional maxima; and what was the total referred to headquarters for Departmental sanction.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe estimated expenditure by regional hospital boards on capital account in 1951–52 for building and civil engineering works and associated equipment is about £7.7 million and the estimated expenditure of hospital management committees on revenue account in the same year for the maintenance of building, plant and grounds (excluding the salaries and wages of directly employed maintenance staff) is about £6.59 million.
Of the expenditure on capital account, about £350,000 was on works estimated to cost not more than £1,000 each, which 92W do not require the Minister's approval. The rest, apart from such items as the payment of fees, was on the larger schemes approved by the Minister during the year in question or previously.
Expenditure on the maintenance of building, plant and grounds within the approved estimates does not require the Minister's approval, Hospital management committees require the approval of regional hospital boards to maintenance works estimated to cost in excess of £1,000, but figures of the amount so approved are not available.