§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what records her Department keeps of the value of land, buildings and other assets transferred to national health service trusts; and if she will make a statement;
(2) what arrangements she makes to apply uniform criteria to establish the value of land, buildings and other assets before they are transferred to a national health service trust; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe values of land, buildings and other assets transferred to a national health service trust are determined in order to form the originating capital debt of that trust. These values are audited and provided to the Department for use in the statutory instrument which is laid before the House for each wave of trusts. Thereafter the values are recorded in the annual accounts of the trusts.
Valuations of all property assets—land and buildings being transferred to NHS trusts are prepared by the Valuation Office agency. This ensures a co-ordinated national approach to the valuation of these assets. The value of other assets transferred such as equipment is taken from the asset register maintained by health authorities in accordance with departmental guidelines.