§ Dr. Evan Harris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether his Department met their target in the NHS plan of ensuring that 90 per cent. of the NHS estate was health and safety compliant by March 2002; what percentage of the estate did not comply with health and safety regulations in March 2002; and what new deadlines have been set on health and safety in the NHS estate; [123928]
(2) whether his Department met their target in the NHS Plan to eliminate the fire safety backlog in the NHS Estate by March 2003. [124004]
§ Mr. Hutton:Trusts that did not report full compliance will cover a wide variety of conditions, including that which is only just below standard. At 31 March 2002, 10.55 per cent, of patient-occupied floor area was below health and safety compliance and 8.57 per cent. below statutory fire safety standards.
Trusts generally manage high-risk deficiencies as a priority in order to ensure that premises are intrinsically safe and not of concern to local enforcement bodies.
Further improvements to health and safety and fire safety will result from the current priorities and planning framework targets for reducing the backlog of maintenance by 25 per cent. by 2004.