HC Deb 28 June 1995 vol 262 cc689-90W
Mr. Betts

To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how much Government spending has changed in 199495 as a result of the private finance initiative; what is the estimated effect in 1995–96; how many jobs are to be created by schemes approved to date under the initiative and how many have lost as a consequence in the public sector; and what is the forecast of transfer of employment from public to private sector over the last five years because of the initiative. [30843]

Mr. Sackville

Capital made available as a result of the private finance initiative is additional to publicly-funded capital. I refer the hon. Member is to the reply I have the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 2 May at cols175–76 for information on spending in 1994–95 and 1995–96 on the National Health Service Executive private finance unit.

Information on numbers of public and private sector jobs affected by the private finance initiative in the NHS is not available centrally.

Mr. Betts

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many schemes and to what value have been approved in 1994–95 under the private finance initiative; what are the estimates for the current financial year; how many schemes are currently being considered and at what value; for how long they have been considered and how many have been in the assessment process for over(a) six months and (b) 12 months; and what was the average length of time taken to assess schemes so far approved. [30842]

Mr. Sackville

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 24 May at column594, for the available information.