§ Sir K. Josephasked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to make a further statement on the Government's hospital building programme.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithYes. It is proposed, subject to the voting by Parliament of the necessary funds, that £22 million shall be spent on capital development in the hospital service in England and Wales in 1959–60, compared with £18 million this financial year and £20 million proposed for next year.
Hospital boards are being informed of their individual allocations within this total for the modernisation of mental hospitals, the replacement of obsolete plant, and ordinary capital expenditure. In addition, the programme of major building projects announced by my predecessors will be continued and extended. As my predecessor explained to the House on 1st July, 1955, the original programme, in order to encourage speedy action, included more projects than it would be possible to start in the years to which it was allocated. Projects already in the programme, but not started, and the second phases of some of those for which only the first phases have so far been authorised, are likely to make a considerable claim on the capital available for 1959–60. I am today inviting boards to bring to completion the planning of a number of additional major projects. I hope that all boards will endeavour to complete the planning early in 1959–60.
The projects selected include the first phases of new hospitals to be built at Liverpool and Boston, and the second phases of a number of large schemes already in the programme such as the new hospitals at Huddersfield, Swansea and Swindon; the mental deficiency 85W hospital at Llanfrechfa Grange, near Newport; the development of The Downs Hospital, Sutton, as a medical nuclear physics centre; and the provision of a new X-ray department and theatres at Lewisham Hospital where the first stage of development is now nearing completion. There are new out-patient departments for the Dudley Road Hospital at Birmingham, the Chester Royal Infirmary and the North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary, Stoke-on-Trent; an outpatient department and admission unit to serve the Hollymoor and Rubery Hill Mental Hospitals; and an admission unit and convalescent villas at the Garlands Mental Hospital, Carlisle.
A new regional neuro-surgical unit is included for the Newcastle General Hospital. Extensions are proposed at the Pontefract General Infirmary, Sharoe Green Hospital at Preston, the Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blackburn Royal Infirmary, and Bronglaise Hospital, Aberystwyth; and works of modernisation are included for St. James's Hospital, King's Lynn; the City Hospital, Exeter; St. Lawrence's Mental Hospital, Bodmin; and Hope Hospital, Salford. Among the projects are a new boiler house for the Manchester Royal Infirmary and some improvements at the City General Hospital, Sheffield. I am also asking for plans to be prepared for the first phase of some hospital development in Hull, and for additional beds at Ilford or Barking, but details of these two schemes have yet to be worked out with the boards concerned.