§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her Department's or health authorities' roles and responsibilities in respect of each stage followed in building a new general practitioner surgery, including how the financing is arranged throughout.
§ Mr. SackvilleUnder their terms of service general practitioners are required to provide proper and sufficient accommodation at their practice premises for the provision of general medical services. Under the cost rent and improvement grant schemes they can apply for financial assistance in purchasing premises or improving existing premises. The details of these schemes, and the procedures to be followed, are set out in the statement of fees and allowances payable to general practitioners.
Family health service authorities have delegated responsibility for managing these schemes within the resources allocated to them in line with local service priorities. Over £126 million were spent on such schemes in 1991–92, an increase, in real terms of some 72 per cent. over 1989–90.