NHS Trusts (Hansard, 6 June 1995)

§ Mr. Nicholas Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a list of the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process by each NHS trust in England. [26071]

§ Mr. Sackville
A list of contracts for clinical services awarded after competitive tender by national health service trusts in England from 1 April 1993, as notified to the NHS executive's market-testing database, will be placed in the Library.

§ Mrs. Beckett
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which national health service trusts have formed commercial companies; how many trusts have set up joint businesses with private companies; what guidelines regulate such activity; and if she will make a statement. [25314]

§ Mr. Sackville
Guidance to national health service trusts on the setting up of companies limited by share or guarantee is given in TEL (93)4, copies of which are available in the Library, and in the NHS trusts finance manual. We are aware that Hillingdon NHS trust has been involved in setting up a private limited company. Guidance on joint venture arrangements is given in FDL(93)3, FDL (93)33 and FDL (93)61, copies of which are available in the Library. Information on NHS trusts which have entered into joint venture arrangements is not available centrally.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice she gives to NHS trusts concerning the advisability of purchasing without prior planning permission, property proposed to be used for medical purposes including out-patient treatment. [26954]

§ Mr. Sackville
Guidance to national health service trusts about land and property matters was given in the Estatecode series, in a document entitled "Property Transactions-a Management Guide for NHS Trusts". This was distributed with EPL (94)36, and copies are available in the Library.

§ Mr. Spearing
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the notional value she has assigned to the capital assets of the Newham Healthcare NHS Trust for each year since its inception, together with the related 6 per cent., or less, payment she has received; what reduction in asset value she would expect from the sale of St. Andrews hospital, Bromley-by-Bow; and what is the likely reduction such a sale would make in the annual payments mentioned above. [26383]

§ Mr. Sackville
The NHS executive has received no proposals for the sale of St. Andrews hospital, Bromley-by-Bow. The actual value of the net relevant assets which comprise the originating capital debt of the Newham Healthcare national health service trust at 1 April 1994 is given in Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 407 dated 20 February 1995 and is £37,777,298. Information on the current value of individual trust assets is not held centrally. One of the core financial duties of a trust is to make a 6 per cent. return on the average value of its net relevant assets in any year, but this is not paid to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The actual return achieved by the trust in 1994–95 will be reported in its 29W annual accounts for the year which will be available following audit no later than 30 September 1995.