§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by region the hospital maintenance backlog as at 31 March.
§ Mr. Sackville[holding answer 30 November 1994]: Information is collected on the estimated backlog maintenance cost for all buildings in the national health service. Separate figures for hospital backlog maintenance are not readily available.
The figures shown in the table are the estimated costs of clearing outstanding repairs and upkeep required to bring all buildings on the NHS estate up to a satisfactory condition irrespective of whether they have a long term use. They include work to meet statutory and safety standards.
A substantial reduction in the size of the estate is anticipated over coming years, along with a continuing ambitious programme of capital investment. These initiatives are expected, over time, to substantially reduce the backlog problem.
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Figures including buildings scheduled for closure or due for replacement or upgrading as part of the capital investment programme. Region Cost of Backlog Maintenance at 31 March 1994 £,000 Anglia and Oxford 243,135 West Midlands 382,500 South and West 230,419 Northern and Yorkshire 321,103 North Thames 503,381 South Thames 378,527 Trent 132,983 North West 198,950