asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether his attention has been drawn to a public statement that it was estimated by him that £24,000,000 would be required for proposed new voluntary hospitals and for the provision and equipment of certain public health institutions, together with the sum of £10,000,000 for the improvement of public assistance institutions; and if he will state the exact purposes for which these sums will be required, and also from what source it is intended that they should be provided.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Expenditure on Hospitals.
I am aware of the statement to which the Deputy refers. The estimate of £24,000,000 for the provision and equipment of new voluntary hospitals and public health institutions is based on the assumption that the cost of building hospitals and providing the necessary equipment will be 50 per cent. higher than in the pre-war period. In regard to the greater portion of the projected institutional accommodation, applications for grants out of Hospitals Trust Funds have been before my Department for a number of years. The programme may be regarded as representing an ultimate objective, and will only be implemented as and when the position of the Hospitals Trust Fund permits of the allocation of the necessary grants towards the cost. The sum of £10,000,000 for the improvement of public assistance institutions represents the estimated cost of providing suitable county homes for the aged and infirm in replacement of the present workhouse buildings. As the requirements of the voluntary and public health institutions are regarded as being more urgent it does not appear likely that this latter development could be embarked upon for some considerable time.
As to the source from which it is intended the money will be provided, do I understand that the source will be the Hospitals Trust Fund?
The source will, in the main, be the Hospitals Trust Fund. The entire cost of the provision and equipment of voluntary institutions has been borne for a number of years out of the Hospitals Trust Fund. In regard to local authority institutions, the general financial basis has been two-thirds out of the Hospitals Trust Fund and one-third from local rates.
Does that imply that £10,000,000 will have to be found from local authorities?
Not necessarily. Priority lists will have to be made out and, with the increased burden on the local rates, if the Hospitals Trust Fund is in a sufficiently strong position to bear the entire cost or a higher proportion of it, the disposition would be to relieve the rates to the maximum possible extent.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say whether it is likely that within a short time he will be able to issue a White Paper outlining even in broad detail either his demands or proposals?
Not in the immediate future. As the Deputy will concede, it is a rather intricate problem. It is easy enough to give a list of the institutions which are in contemplation, but, if we have to get down to priorities in a White Paper, it becomes a rather difficult matter. I can, however, furnish the Deputy with a list of the proposals which have been submitted, or the applications which have been made to the Department for grants out of the Hospitals Trust Fund in order to give him a general indication of the developments that are under consideration.
I suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary that perhaps it would be better to issue a White Paper, because public opinion might help him to decide in the most satisfactory way what the proper priorities would be.
I have no objection to that at all, if the necessary time to prepare the White Paper could be found. But there has been a severe epidemic of amendments arising out of the Public Health Bill which will take some time to get under control. Perhaps within six months or so, or perhaps in a shorter time, it would be possible to consider the issue of a White Paper.