Oral Answers to Questions — Health – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 22 February 2005.
Paul Farrelly
Labour, Newcastle-under-Lyme
11:30,
22 February 2005
How much is being spent on the NHS local improvement finance trust programme in North Staffordshire.
John Reid
Secretary of State, Department of Health, The Secretary of State for Health
I apologise for the delay while I open my book, Mr. Speaker.
Around £5.4 million of public capital has so far been provided to support the North Staffordshire LIFT project. A further £4.5 million of private capital has been committed to fund the first two buildings. This will provide patients with modern accessible health care, in purpose-built, high-quality premises and, I hope, provide my hon. Friend's constituents with a far better service than before.
Paul Farrelly
Labour, Newcastle-under-Lyme
I thank the Secretary of State for that welcome confirmation of additional investment in my local NHS. Two of the brand new health centres in the programme are due to be built in two of my local communities—Audley and Cross Heath. Does my right hon. Friend agree that these are examples of our real achievement in bringing the NHS right to our constituents' doorsteps? It is on that record, that achievement and that investment that we will rightly be judged, come the next General Election.
John Reid
Secretary of State, Department of Health, The Secretary of State for Health
Yes, I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. Patients in his area—both buildings to which he referred are expected to open to patients around the end of this year—as well as in the rest of North Staffordshire and throughout the country will benefit from the new facilities, which focus on their well-being as well as treatment for illnesses. The House might be interested to know that the LIFT scheme is delivering new primary care facilities in some of the most deprived areas of the country, resulting in improved health care for patients in areas of greatest need: 75 per cent. of the most deprived primary care trust areas are part of an NHS LIFT scheme.
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