§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding the use of resources released by the sale of surplus or redundant Health Service property with particular reference to mental institutions.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Government recognise that property represents one of the National Health Service's most valuable assets and must be managed efficiently in order to maximise the resources available for improvements in services to patients.
We now require Health Authorities to review regularly their property holdings and to identify for re-use or disposal those properties which are no longer required for their original purpose. Except in special circumstances, for example, where the disposal is made possible only by the provision of a new hospital from regional funds, funds released from the sale of surplus property should be 567W retained by the local district health authority where they can be used for the benefit of local patients. We expect resources from the disposal of redundant mental hospitals to be used to develop better community based services for mentally ill patients and mentally handicapped people of the districts previously served.