§ Mr. Allan StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to change the current arrangements governing the sale of surplus National Health Service property; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Scottish Home and Health Department is in the course of reviewing the present procedures for the sale of surplus health service property in Scotland. The intention is to streamline the current procedures, which date largely from 1984, building upon our experience since then and upon the increased expertise of health boards, while ensuring that the disposal of surplus property continues to be made on the most favourable terms available.
§ Mr. Allan StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has recently received from the general managers of the Scottish health boards108W concerning the financial arrangements for the proceeds of sales of surplus National Health Service properties; and what response he has made.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe present arrangements envisage that the full amount of the proceeds is ploughed back into health service capital investment. As a result of representations from health board general managers and others, I am reviewing the limit on the amount of the proceeds of a single sale which may at present be retained by the particular health board responsible for the property. A health board selling property which realises more than the normal limit of £250,000 (which was set in April 1986) may, at the discretion of the Scottish Home and Health Department, retain a greater sum, as an alternative to its distribution to health boards more generally, in the light of their capital expenditure plans.