§ Mr. CritchleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the estimate for the cost of building a new hospital on the site of the Cambridge military hospital, Aldershot, including the refurbishment of the existing building;
(2) what plans he has for the listed buildings on the site of the Cambridge military hospital;
(3) what is the estimated cost of closing the Cambridge Military hospital.
§ Mr. SoamesEssential rebuilding and refurbishment works costs which would be necessary if the Cambridge military hospital were to become the tri-Service core hospital are estimated at over £66 million. Final decisions on disposal or redevelopment of the hospital site have not yet been made and any future plan will take account of listed buildings. Residual running and rundown costs of the site following closure are estimated at £1.1 million in the financial year 1996–97 and thereafter about £0.383 million a year against an anticipated overall saving from the defence costs study proposal of some £50 million a year.
§ Mr. CritchleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate has been made of the additional cost of treating service men and women from the Aldershot Garrison at Haslar;
(2) what is the estimated cost of transferring the staff and equipment from the Cambridge military hospital to Haslar.
§ Mr. SoamesService personnel from Aldershot garrison might be treated in future either at Haslar or one of the new Ministry of Defence hospital units. Until these are selected, no precise travel or treatment cost comparisons can be made. Similarly, transfer costs for medical staff now at the Cambridge military hospital cannot be calculated until the location of the new Ministry of Defence hospital units, where some will serve, is known. Estimated equipment transfer costs, net of disposal receipts, are not available at this stage of the defence costs study implementation process. It is assumed, however, that any such costs will be minimal and will be far outweighed by the assessed overall savings to the Defence budget accruing from the reorganisation of the defence medical services of some £50,000,000 a year from 1996–97.