§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria will be used to determine the health service's strategic need for hospitals to be financed under the private finance initiative. [4060]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Department of Health will develop its capital investment system so that it will prioritise all major acute sector hospital schemes in accordance with health service needs. This system will apply to both Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and publicly funded procurement options. Proposals for dealing with small-scale acute schemes and non-acute schemes under the PFI will be put forward in the near future.