§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health what are the six sites he has in mind for the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley.
§ Mr. PowellThere have been six development plans. Four used the existing hospital site in different ways and the other two the site of "The Limes" as well.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health if he will give the proposed details of the three alternative plans for the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley, which were prepared by 4th February, 1960; and which one has been adopted.
§ Mr. PowellOne involved indefinite retention of the existing buildings, another the use of the present site only, and the third the use of the site of "The Limes" also. On the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 24th April.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will give an assurance that the St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley, extension will remain on the priority list as one of the major hospital projects to be centrally financed, as announced on 16th November, 1959; and whether he will speed up planning and acquisition of land in order to start building within the next 12 months;
(2) if he will give the most recent estimate of the cost of preparing all the plans, old and new, for the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley;
(3) if it is still his intention to build the extension of the St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley, on the site of the Limes Hostel; and when he hopes to acquire the site.
80W(4) if he is aware that the new extension of the St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley, was selected in 1956 and planning of the project was due to be completed during that financial year; and why planning is not yet completed;
(5) if he is aware that he informed the House on 2nd November, 1959, that sketch plans were being prepared for the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley; what has happened to them; whether they were completed or amended; and what in detail did these plans propose.
§ Mr. PowellI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 24th April. The additional land which I referred to is the site of "The Limes".
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health what was the district valuer's preliminary estimate of the cost of acquiring "The Limes" site for the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley.
§ Mr. PowellEstimates of this kind made by district valuers at the request of regional hospital boards are confidential.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health (1) if he will list the number of people waiting for operations, giving the separate figures for each type of operation, at the Barnsley Becket and St. Helen hospitals;
(2) in view of the delay in building the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley, and the urgent need to reduce the large waiting list, what immediate steps he proposes to take to help the staff of Barnsley Becket and St. Helen Hospitals to successfully cope with the present waiting list.
§ Mr. PowellFollowing are the figures at 31st March, 1961:
General Surgery 466 Gynaecology 410 Ear, Nose and Throat (except Tonsils and Adenoids) 302 Tonsils and Adenoids 421 Orthopaedic Surgery 196 Ophthalmology 148 1,943 The corresponding figures at 31st March and 30th September, 1960, were 2,217 and 1,979. The possibility of reducing them further with the co-operation of other hospital authorities is being investigated.
81W
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health what is the estimated cost of the most recent scheme for the extension of the St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley.
§ Mr. PowellRoughly £4 million.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that he put the new St. Helen Hospital, Barnsley, on the priority list in November, 1959, if it was with the permission of his Department that the regional hospital board allowed the architects to withdraw their services from this priority project.
§ Mr. PowellMy permission was not required.