Written question asked by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 30 July 1997. It was answered by Alan Milburn (Labour) on Wednesday, 30 July 1997 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: What estimate he has made of the scale of the exercise and what restrictions he intends to introduce in the case of the downward revaluation of NHS assets so as to reduce the six per cent. return on assets requirements in seeking to meet the costs of closing deficits by the end of the current financial year by NHS trusts.

Answer: Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the scale of the exercise and what restrictions he intends to introduce in the case of the downward revaluation of NHS assets so as to reduce the 6 per cent. return on assets requirements in seeking to meet the costs of closing deficits by the end of the current financial year by NHS trusts. [11133] Mr. Milburn: There is no exercise under way or planned to restrict or systematically reduce the valuation of national health service assets or the requirements to make a 6 per cent. return on them. Health authority allocations and trust prices have already been set on the basis of estimated capital charges for 1997-98 and there are no plans to change them.

Secondary information