Local MP Caroline Dinenage today spoke up in the Houses of Commons in defence of Government plans to protect front-line NHS services while dealing with the legacy of PFI debt left by the last administration.
Speaking in the Commons, Caroline asked "Does the Sec of State share my hope that the Government's joint commitment to increasing NHS spending and dealing with the legacy of PFI debt will help areas like Gosport which are living under the umbrella of a huge PFI hospital approved under the last Government which is sucking up most of the NHS budget?"
Responding, the Secretary of State said that "This PFI debt is costing the NHS more an a billion pounds every year. That is money that in some cases was well spent but very often was very poorly spent, and she's absolutely right to say that we want that money to be spent on front line care which is why we have drawn a line under the appallingly bad deals negotiated by the last Labour government and we're spending money where it should be spent: to help patients."
In 2014-15, PFI contacts will cost the taxpayer a staggering £3,660 per minute or £220,000 per hour, while the total bill for NHS PFI contracts signed under Labour will hit £79 billion. The Chancellor has announced that the PFI which has locked hospitals into poor value contracts will be fundamentally reformed; freeing up funding for front line services.
Speaking outside the chamber Caroline said,
"The PFI contracts the last Labour Government negotiated left the NHS sitting on a mountain of debt. I'm pleased that this Government is reforming PFI to get the best value for the taxpayer while increasing overall spending – meaning that there are now almost 15,000 more clinicians in the NHS."