§ Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health for what purposes a hospital transferred to an NHS trust continues to be treated as Crown property.
§ Mr. SackvilleA hospital transferred to a national health service trust continues to be treated in the same way as Crown property in respect of developments notified to the local planning authority before 1 April 1991 whilst the trust has an interest in them; in respect of any building work approved before 1 April 1991 until such time as the work is completed; and in respect of tenancies entered into before 1 April 1991 in which the trust is landlord and612W which would otherwise be assured tenancies under the Housing Act 1988 or protected tenancies under the Rent Act 1977. NHS trusts are exempt from the need to carry insurance under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 (equivalent arrangements under NHS (Injury Benefit) Regulations 1974 cover NHS staff); from the need for motor vehicle taxation under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971; from the need to effect third party insurance for ambulances under the Road Traffic Act 1988; from most taxation in line with the arrangements for other public bodies, and there are exemptions in certain circumstances in relation to licences under the Medicines Act 1968. In respect of section 48 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, NHS trusts are deemed to be Crown bodies in relation to material communicated to the Crown for a particular purpose in the course of public business, and thereby are entitled to copy and issue copies of the material to the public for that purpose without infringing copyright therein.