§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 31 January, if he is confident the Leicestershire health authority will have sufficient funds to open fully the Glenfield hospital.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeBoth the Trent regional health authority and the Leicestershire health authority are firmly 403W committed to the opening of phase I of the new Glenfield district general hospital later this year. I am confident they will achieve this objective.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the original intended budget of the Leicestershire district health authority in 1983–84; and what it was after expenditure cuts agreed with the region in late 1982–83 and the July measures in 1983–84.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThis information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may care to write to the Trent regional health authority, which is responsible for the allocation of resources to the health authorities in the region, which includes Leicestershire.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the hospitals which have been closed in the area of the Leicestershire district health authority since 1978–79 and the hospitals where there have been ward closures or losses of beds.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeMarkfield hospital, near Leicester is the only hospital to have closed in the Leicestershire district since 1978–79. Information on hospitals where there have been ward closures and bed losses is not collected centrally.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of beds in National Health Service hospitals in the area of the Leicestershire district health authority in each year since 1978–79; what is the current figure; and what it will be when the Glenfield hospital has opened and consequent closures have been made.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe average daily numbers of available beds in NHS hospitals in the Leicestershire district health authority (previously Leicestershire area health authority) from 1978 to 1982, the latest year available centrally, are given in the table.
Year Average daily number of available beds 1978 5,101.1 1979 5,140.2 1980 5,220.9 1981 5,220.7 1982 5,224.5 The number of beds which will be available following the opening of phase I of the Glenfield district general hospital later this year is under consideration by the Leicestershire health authority. The hon. Member may care to write to the authority for further details.