asked the Minister of Health the average length of time which elapses between a regional hospital board approving a building project and the commencement of the actual building work.

The dates of approval by boards do not come to my knowledge.

Is it not a pity that the right hon. Gentleman's advisers did not tell him that this summer was a wet one so that under-spending on the hospital building programme could have been to some extent anticipated? Is he not aware that a hospital in my area which wants to put up a changing room for nurses will not be able to do so because of the re-allocation due to under-spending? Should not he have taken action much earlier?

I will be glad to look at the instance mentioned by the hon. Gentleman.

In view of the fact that every hon. Member has a right to come to the Minister to ask him about lapses of time between the initial approval and the starting of the building, is it not a little curious that he is never given any information about the approval in the first place?

Some of the projects do not require action on my part, so the approval by a board does not come to my official knowledge at all. But where the project does require my approval, as I say, I am not aware of the date on which the board approves the project.