§ 24. Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the private finance initiative development in the area of Mid Yorkshire Acute Trust; and what bed provision will be made in the three areas covered by the Pontefract, Wakefield and Dewsbury Trust. [177308]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust is working with its partner Primary Care Trusts to agree a final design brief for the Private Finance Initiative scheme. The trust expects to announce its preferred bidder for the PFI scheme by October 2004. The provision of acute beds will reflect good practice in the care of patients across community and hospital settings.