HC Deb 13 June 1980 vol 986 c336W
Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now increase financial assistance for the repair and maintenance of hospitals and other National Health Service buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Dr. Vaughan

All the available revenue resources for 1980–81 for the hospital and community health service have been distributed to health authorities and boards of governors in the form of cash limits. Apart from some minor sums, no resources have been retained centrally for later allocation for specific purposes such as the repair and maintenance of buildings. Health authority cash limits are global sums within which each authority is free to determine in the light of local circumstances the proportion which it needs to spend on repairs and maintenance of its estate.