Naval Hospital, Gibraltar (Hansard, 19 November 2001)

§ Dr. Moonie

At present the naval hospital is a unit of the Defence Care Agency. Existing plans for replacing the hospital with a new-build facility have been under review by the Agency to assess, among other things, whether there might be scope for improved integration with the primary care facilities at Gibraltar. We expect ownership of the hospital to change in line with the recommendation by the Medical Quinquennial Review (MQR). I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Defence my hon. Friend the Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie), on 17 October 2001,Official Report, column 1224W to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr. Wright). It was noted in the summary of emerging findings of the MQR that responsibility for the management and funding of all medical functions, including secondary care, in Cyprus and Gibraltar should be vested in the respective overseas commands. Consequently the studies into a replacement for the existing hospital will now be taken forward by the Permanent Joint Headquarters.