§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the methods of monitoring the use of the proceeds from the sales of National Health Service buildings used for the mentally handicapped and mentally ill, and how his Department ensures that these proceeds are put back into those services rather than the regional budget.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe proceeds of sales of surplus Health Service property are now used for further investment in the Health Service by the health board in whose area the property lies. The use which is to be made of the proceeds of sales of a particular category of property is not generally specified but health boards know that they should give a high priority to the care of mentally handicapped and mentally ill patients. Capital expenditure on these categories of patient has been almost £20 million per annum in recent years. That sum far exceeds the proceeds of sales of surplus mental hospitals and associated land.