§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the NHS budget for the current financial year has been allocated to the maintenance of buildings. [150362]
§ Mr. HuttonMost significant maintenance that improves the condition of national health service buildings is capital-funded.
The allocation of capital resources to the NHS for the three-year period, 2003–04 to 2005–06, was announced on 8 January 2003. None of the resources allocated were identified specifically for the maintenance of buildings.
Operational capital is allocated directly to NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) and is used primarily for maintaining their asset bases and funding other minor investments. For 2003–04, £844 million has been allocated as operational capital, or 29 per cent, of the total public capital budget. It is, however, for local NHS 317W trusts and PCTs to decide how much of this is used to fund building maintenance and how much is allocated to other local priorities.
By funding the replacement of major assets, the strategic health authorities strategic capital programmes, totalling £684 million in 2003–04 and private finance initiative programme also make a contribution to meeting the NHS's maintenance requirement.