§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State: for Scotland (1) if he will commission an inquiry into the first year of operation of the Royal Alexandra Health Trust, with particular reference to budgets, waiting lists, staff morale and the effectiveness of patient care;
(2) what were the planned (a) revenue and (b) capital budgets for the Royal Alexandra Hospital Trust at the levels set on 1 April 1993 for the 1993–94 financial year; what out-turn figures were achieved on these figures as at 31 March; what is the reason for any variance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartNo. The trust is required to publish an annual report on its operations and this has to be presented to a public meeting by 30 September.
Revenue budgets are related to income and are set by the trust when contract negotiations have been completed with trust income for the year determined. For 1993–94 the total income was forecast as £42.6 million. The capital
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§ Mr. StewartAllocations for the additional costs of teaching and research were made to the four teaching health boards as follows:
expenditure permissible by the trust in 1993–94 as part of the external financing limit set by the management executive was £1,036,000.
The out-turn figures for the year ended 31 March 1994 are not yet available. The trust is confident that it will meet the following statutory financial targets:
- to break even after interest payments,
- to make a 6 per cent. return on relevant net assets and
- to deliver the agreed EFL.