Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2011
17 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scottish Executive Question Time
New Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Edinburgh)
Health and Wellbeing
No, I do not agree with that. I find it deeply regrettable that, as the country seeks to recover from the recession, the United Kingdom Government, of which David McLetchie is a keen supporter, is slashing the Scottish Government’s capital budget by more than a quarter next year. That is deeply regrettable, as it is having an impact on capital projects. The Scottish Government is determined to see vital projects, such as the sick kids hospital in Edinburgh, proceed, which is why we have taken the action that we have. I do not think that I could have been clearer than I have been today about our support for the project and our determination to see it proceed. I hope that David McLetchie will welcome that.
In the same item of business
David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con)
Con
7. To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to funding the new Royal hospital for sick children in Edinburgh proposed by NHS Lothian and, i...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon)
SNP
The Scottish Government remains fully committed to the delivery of the Royal hospital for sick children as quickly as possible. As I indicated to Malcolm Chi...
David McLetchie
Con
Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is regrettable that we have not progressed further with the project? Does she accept that that is due, in part, to t...
Nicola Sturgeon
SNP
No, I do not agree with that. I find it deeply regrettable that, as the country seeks to recover from the recession, the United Kingdom Government, of which ...
Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD)
LD
I share the concerns about the delay in the project. Given that the Scottish Government is continuing to give £850 million in capital to NHS Greater Glasgow ...
Nicola Sturgeon
SNP
Just as David McLetchie should direct his concerns about capital funding to his Tory colleagues in London, Margaret Smith should direct her concerns to her L...
Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab)
Lab
I ask the question again: what tangible benefit is being brought to the project by the Scottish Futures Trust? My colleague George Foulkes made a freedom of ...
Nicola Sturgeon
SNP
The Scottish Futures Trust is providing vital support to NHS Lothian to develop the procurement strategy that will deliver the project. I hope that members w...