§ Mr. Alexanderasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report on the inquiry into under-used and surplus land and property in the National Health Service; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FowlerI have received the report which is being published today and a copy has been placed in the Library. I am grateful to the committee for its work.
The National Health Service is one of the biggest property and land owners in the country. In England it owns 50,000 acres of land and about 2,000 hospitals as well as health centres, clinics, offices and staff accommodation. The report shows that the National Health Service estate has not up to now received the attention it should have done.
I therefore welcome the report, which contains many valuable recommendations to improve the quality of estate management in the National Health Service. It stresses the importance of land and buildings as a major resource and emphasises the need for greater productivity in their use. Among other things it recommends a system of notional rents for Health Service buildings to bring home to users the value of accommodation they occupy and to promote greater efficiency and effectiveness in the use of property. It also emphasises the need for effective incentives for health authorities to identify and dispose of surplus property.
The Government are determined to see resources represented by buildings and land more effectively used and the disposal of property surplus to requirement. Money saved and released here will lead directly to better services for patients. Accordingly, I will be consulting health authorities and I will then draw up an action plan. At the same time I am asking members of the inquiry team to continue with their work and to monitor and ensure progress.