§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what amount of grant for capital expenditure has been paid to the Grampian health board in respect of Aberdeen royal infirmary in each year since 1979;
(2) what applications he has received from Grampian health board for grants in respect of capital expenditure at Aberdeen royal infirmary for each year from 1987 to 1994.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 20 May 1991]: Each year, health boards submit capital expenditure plans detailing their known proposals for the next 10 years. Funding for capital projects is provided by means of an annual capital allocation to each board related to these plans. Boards have considerable freedom to deploy the sums allocated in accordance with their own priorities. Only in certain circumstances are sums earmarked for specific projects (at present mainly for projects costing more than £5 million in total and prior to 1987 for projects included in boards' major building programmes). From 1979–80 to 1990–91 no sums were earmarked within Grampian health board's capital allocations for expenditure on Aberdeen royal infirmary. Expenditure on minor projects was drawn from the main block allocated to the board.
On 10 May I announced that I had given approval for the first phase of a major development at the infirmary. This phase of the development will cost £7.3 million and will provide 30 additional general surgery day patient beds, 30 additional in-patient surgical and gynaecology beds and 41 in-patient ophthalmology beds. In 1991–92, £1.676 million has been specifically earmarked in Grampian health board's capital allocation to fund the start of the development and further provision will be included in the allocations for later years to facilitate its completion. Sums included in the board's capital plans for expenditure on the infirmary during the period 1987 to 1994 were:
£ million 1987–88 0.669 1988–89 0.585 1989–90 0.623 1990–91 0–829 1991–92 1.676 1992–93 4.357 1993–94 2.303