§ 56. Mr. Monslowasked the Minister of Health if he will give the total amount of the decrease in the financial content of the hospital building programme 1963 to 1974 shown by the latest revision as compared with the programme previously agreed for the Manchester Regional Hospital Board, the schemes which have now been excluded until the period 1970 to 1974, and the schemes originally included in the period up to 1972–73 but now deferred beyond 1974.
§ Mr. BarberThe financial content of the hospital building programme for this region has not been decreased, as implied in the hon. Member's Question. On the contrary, this year's revision shows an increase for the region of £16 million compared with what was originally proposed.
As I have previously explained, with changes in priorities, involving the development of new projects in the national programme and the bringing 7W forward and the enlargement of others, it has been necessary, despite an increased hospital programme in real terms, to defer some schemes.
The schemes suggested as likely to start within the original programme but now beyond it and expected to start before the end of the ten-year programme of the revised plan are as follows:
Withington Hospital—residential accommodation.Bury General Hospital—major developments.Crumpsall Hospital—nurses' accommodation and nurse-training centre.Ashton General Hospital—second phase of development.The schemes included in the programme following the first revision which are now likely to start some time after 1974 are as follows:—Barrow Hospital—second phase of new hospital.Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport—expansion and rebuilding.Salford Royal Hospital—first phase of new hospital.Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan—first phase of rebuilding.Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn—maternity department and ward upgrading.Blackburn Royal Infirmary—accident department.Many schemes now differ considerably in scope from what was earlier envisaged, and are likely to change further.