§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will ensure that the proposed option appraisal for the hospital needs of the Coleraine area is definitive and reach a final conclusion as to the needs of the area;
(2) what provision he is making for new hospital building in Coleraine in the current and the next five financial years; and what provision he is making to carry over from one financial year to the next sums allocated but not spent in each financial year;
(3) what steps he is taking to ensure that the new hospital building for Coleraine is completed by 1997;
(4) whether he will make it his policy to accept the findings of the option appraisal for the Coleraine hospital and immediately it is available build on the basis of its conclusions.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 13 February 1990]: Responsibility for preparing the option appraisal lies with the Northern health and social services board. Provided that it is carried out to the standards required under the Government's guidelines, the appraisal should lead to a final decision on the future provision of acute hospital services in the Coleraine, Ballymoney and Moyle area. The earliest on-site dates which can be accommodated within the Department of Health and Social Services major development programme are 1993 for a phased redevelopment of Coleraine hospital and 1997 for a new hospital. The completion date will depend on which option is chosen.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been expended on Coleraine hospital on(a) new building work, (b) 576W maintenance and (c) other capital expenditure in each of the last 10 years; and in the case of (a) above what was provided by the major sums expended in that period.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 13 February 1990]: The information is as follows:
(a) (b) (c) New building work Maintenance1 Other capital expenditure2 £ £ £ 1978–80 176,598 104,983 1980–81 430,492 148,348 129,411 1981–82 734,248 126,970 272,017 1982–83 59,819 156,327 332,315 1983–84 31,612 251,629 106,833 1984–85 1,924 231,683 83,854 1985–86 349,312 187,192 1986–87 224,228 98,988 1987–88 236,874 213,464 1988–89 259,721 221,639 1 Building and engineering. 2 Capital works, furniture and equipment. Expenditure at (a) provided a 72-bed geriatric unit and 15-place day hospital.