HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 c553W
Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant bed spaces were identified in the task force on empty homes as being in the ownership of NHS Estates but unsuitable for commercial or social lettings; and how many of them were(a) in nurses' hostels, (b) in doctors' residences, (c) inside hospital grounds, (d) outside hospital grounds and (e) in each regional health authority area.

Mr. Sackville

Vacant bed spaces in hostels were generally considered by the task force to be unsuitable for commercial or social lettings. Based on a survey which covered about 75 per cent. of the national health service, it is estimated that at 1 December last year there were 11,400 vacant hostel places, of which 9,280 were inside, and 2,120 outside hospital grounds. Analysis of this information by nurses' hostels, doctors' residencies and regional health authority area are not available. Ownership responsibility for NHS staff residential accommodation lies with health authorities and trusts. The Department is issuing guidance which will include examples of good practice to encourage and assist NHS authorities to make use of empty places wherever practicable.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many empty bed spaces identified by her Department for the empty homes task force were(a) in hostels with shared facilities where all the bed spaces are vacant, (b) in hostels with shared facilities where some of the bed spaces are occupied and (c) in hostels or homes without shared facilities.

Mr. Sackville

From the survey carried out last year, it is estimated that across the national health service at 1 December the number of empty bed spaces were(a) 200, (b) 11,200 and (c) 3,700. These figures include properties being refurbished, due for demolition, and in the process of disposal as well as those available for letting.