§ Sir K. Josephasked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to make a further statement about the Government's hospital building programme.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithYes. It is proposed, subject to the voting by Parliament of the necessary funds, that £25½ million shall be spent on capital development in the hospital service in England and Wales in 1960–61, compared with £22 million already announced for next year, 1959–60.
Hospital Boards are being informed of their individual allocations within this total for the modernisation of mental hos- 252W pitals, the replacement of obsolete plant, and ordinary capital expenditure. £10 million will be set aside for the programme of major projects which are financed centrally. This programme will be further expanded and I am today inviting Boards to bring to completion the planning of a number of additional major projects. I hope that they will try to complete the planning by 1960–61.
I have already authorised the arranging of an architectural competition which is in hand for the planning of the new Cardiff teaching hospital; and in the light of the advice I have received from the University Grants Committee I am considering with the hospital Boards concerned what dental hospital projects should be undertaken to increase the output of the dental schools as recommended by the McNair Committee on the recruitment of dentists.
The major projects now selected include, in the sphere of new building, the first phases of new general hospitals for north Tees-side and at Northwick Park for the Wembley—Harrow area; a further stage of the new Sheffield teaching hospital of which the out-patient department is now being built; the start of the reconstruction of Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup; a blood transfusion centre at Liverpool and later stages of some new hospitals already in the programme.
There will be new radiotherapy departments at Newcastle, Sheffield and Birmingham.
In the sphere of large-scale extensions, a large extension of the High Wycombe Memorial Hospital is proposed and a number of other hospitals are to be improved or developed. They are Crewe Memorial Hospital; the Mayday Hospital, Croydon; Queen Mary's, Stratford; the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport; Southampton General Hospital, and St. Stephen's Hospital, Fulham Road. There is a new maternity wing at Billinge Hospital, Wigan, and a new maternity unit is included in proposals for expanding the Yeovil and District Hospital. Further development will be undertaken at the Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, and at the Coventry and Warwick Hospital.
I am increasing the allocations made last year in order to allow development to take place at both Ilford and Barking, 253W and to permit as the first phase of hospital development in Hull the improvement of the Western General Hospital. I am also asking for plans to be prepared for certain hospital development in Bradford, and details of this will be worked out with the Leeds Regional Hospital Board.
In the mental health field I propose to provide additional beds at the mental deficiency hospitals at Greaves Hall, Southport, Cranage Hall, Holmes Chapel, and Oakwood Park, Conway; extensions to Borocourt (near Reading), and Little Plumstead (near Norwich) Mental Deficiency Hospitals; improvements at Fulbourne Mental Hospital, near Cambridge; and new long-stay annexes at Lynfield Mount Mental Hospital, Bradford. A psychiatric block is also to be provided at the new Welwyn Hospital which is now being built.