§ Mr. GarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made as to whether the proposed location of the planned Colney hospital in south Norfolk is in accordance with the advice in the Department of the Environment planning policy guidance notes 6 and 13. [15089]
§ Mr. HoramThis is a local matter. Planning permission for any hospital development has to be obtained from the local planning authority, which must take account of the contents of planning policy guidance notes. The planning application is a matter between the local authority and the trust.
§ Mr. GarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much of the West Norwich hospital will be retained by the Norfolk Mental Health Care trust; what investment is proposed there; what parts of the West Norwich hospital will be closed by the Norfolk and Norwich Health Care trust if the proposed Colney hospital is constructed in South Norfolk district; and how much of the site is intended to be redeveloped; [15090]
(2) if his Department has received a business plan for the proposed Colney hospital, South Norfolk district; and if he has yet responded; [15143]
(3) what is the estimated cost of the proposed Colney hospital in Norwich; what is the expected annual cost to the NHS of the use of the hospital if provided by the private sector; and what expenditure on planning, design and site acquisition has been undertaken by the Norfolk and Norwich health care trust or its predecessor since the site was first identified; [15144]
(4) what plans there were to retain the Norfolk and Norwich hospital at the time of the Colney hospital public inquiry in 1988; and if it was described as a second district hospital; [15145]
(5) how many beds are provided in the existing NHS hospitals in Norwich, excluding Norfolk mental health care trust beds; how many beds will be retained within 689W the city of Norwich after the construction of Colney hospital; and how many beds will be provided at the proposed Colney hospital. [15146]
§ Mr. HoramThe provision of local services is a matter for local managers. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Stuart Burgess, chairman of Anglia and Oxford regional health authority, for details of the proposals.
Norfolk and Norwich Health Care national health service trust submitted its formal business case for building a new hospital at the end of January. Given the size of the proposed project, the business case will be considered by officials at both the NHS executive and HM Treasury before it is passed to Ministers for final approval. I cannot comment further until all aspects of the business case have been fully considered.