Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Jackson of Peterborough Excerpts

Tuesday 7th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Burns]

I can give the hon. Lady a categorical assurance that they will be based on clinical outcomes, not political considerations. I hope she will accept that it would be inappropriate for me to say anything further at this point in the proceedings, because we are in the middle of a consultation process at arm’s length from Ministers.

[Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough) (Con)]

Over the past 12 months, the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals Foundation Trust has spent thousands of pounds of public money in connection with a vacant site—the former Peterborough district hospital site— and has yet to take it to market, despite having a £38 million deficit this year. Will my right hon. Friend ask Monitor to ensure that trusts make use of, and dispose of, valuable public assets in a timely way, in the best interests of both the taxpayer and the local health economy?

[Mr Burns]

I hope that I can reassure my hon. Friend by giving him a straightforward yes in answer to that question.