§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when he proposes to meet the chairman of the health authorities of Wales to discuss their authorities need for more cash to meet their building programme deadlines; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will make additional allocations to the health authorities of Wales to enable them to begin their hospital building programmes on schedule;
349W(3) if he proposes to make additional payments to health authorities to enable them to meet the increased costs in building projects as a result of inflation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristMy right hon. Friend met chairmen of district health authorities on 15 May when a range of matters concerning the White Paper "Working for Patients" was discussed. A date for the next meeting has yet to be agreed. My right hon. Friend has no plans to increase DHAs' capital allocations, other than for specific purposes to be announced in the course of the year. Welsh health authorities' discretionary capital allocations this year total £39 million, an increase of nearly 32 per cent. over last year; and we expect them to plan flexibly within the resources available for contingencies such as fluctuations in construction costs.
Hospital building projects to be started in financial year 1989–90 District Health Authority Project Projected start date Estimated total costs (£ million) Clwyd Deeside Community Hospital September 1989 4.1 Ysbyty Maelor Wrecsam—Phase 2A November 1989 16.3 Ysbyty Glan Clwyd—Adaptations to pharmacy August 1989 0.12 East Dyfed Amman Valley Hospital—Development May 1989 0.86 Gwent Torfaen Hospital—Mental illness unit January 1990 3.2 Blaina Rehabilitation Unit July 1989 0.464 Islwyn Mental Illness Unit January 1990 0.9 Gwynedd Druid/Cefni Hospital—Amalgamation January 1990 1.5 Mid Glamorgan Ystrad Fechan Community Hospital October 1989 8.0 Aberdare Hospital—Elderly unit July 1989 1.6 East Glamorgan Hospital—Geriatric unit January 1990 1.2 East Glamorgan Hospital—Obstetrics theatre May 1989 0.42 Tonteg Hospital—Elderly mentally infirm ward July 1989 0.45 Tyntyla Hospital—Elderly mentally infirm ward and day unit April 1989 0.2 Pembrokeshire Nil Powys Machynlleth Hospital—Phase 1 July 1989 1.6 South Glamorgan Llandough Hospital—Extension to children's centre January 1990 0.068 West Glamorgan Tonna Hospital—Development May 1989 4.0