§ Lord Bramallasked Her Majesty's Government:
What will be the estimated costs for the expansion of the core service hospital at Haslar, including the provision of necessary married quarters, and the opening of a Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) at Frimley Park, leaving an upgraded health centre at Aldershot.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Henley)At present, expansion costs at Haslar are estimated at £12.048 million. Estimates for the requirement of an additional 85 officers' married quarters, which will be met in the short term by hiring property or payment of excess rent allowance, are not yet available, although these costs will be partially offset by savings at current locations. Initial setting up costs of the Frimley Park Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit are expected to be of the order of £1.6 million. These costs should be seen in the context of the anticipated annual saving of at least £55 million resulting from full implementation of the Front Line First recommendations for the future of the Defence Medical Services.
Upgrading of the Aldershot Health Centre is the responsibility of the Department of Health. The National Health Service estimate that the capital cost of refurbishing the Aldershot Health Centre will be in the order of £1.7 million; the capital cost of extending the health centre to provide additional accommodation is estimated to amount to some £2.5 million.