§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been made available to the Worthing and Southlands hospital trust over the last five years for the refurbishment of wards. [26497]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 11 January 2002 ]: Each year national health service trusts receive an allocation of capital to be spent at the trust's discretion, referred to as block capital.
The Worthing and Southlands trust's allocations for the last five years were:
Block capital allocation (£000) Increase on previous year (£000) (Percentage) 1997–98 775 — — 1998–99 930 155 20.5 1999–2000 1,589 659 70.9 2000–01 1,610 21 1.3 2001–02 1,983 373 23.2 Regarding revenue, in 2000–01 and 2001–02 the trusts received additional ring-fenced ward budgets specifically 1064W available to be spent at the discretion of the ward sister. These were £2,500 per ward in 2000–'01 and £5,000 per ward, £150,000 in total, in 2001–02.