The health and social care bill announced in yesterdays Queens Speech includes provision for nearly £1bn in private investment to be used to refurbish or replace 3,000 family doctors surgeries by 2004.
A new public-private partnership called Lift the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust – will create PFI-style deals that could locate new surgeries next to pharmacies, opticians, dentists and commercial premises in inner-city areas to provide one-stop health shops and to possibly form part of wider community regeneration. The private sector would earn income from the leases.
A draft bill to improve transport safety will be presented which means it is likely to have to wait until after the election. This could see the creation of a new independent safety authority for the railways. Progress is also expected to be made on the purchase of freeholds and on commonhold, a new form of tenure for flat owners. Renewal of business leases could be accelerated.
Financial Times 07/12/00 page 1, page 4-5, page 24 (Editorial Comment, page 25 (Observer)
The Times 07/12/00 page 1, page 2, page 12-15, page 22, page 23 (Leader)
The Daily Telegraph 07/12/00 page 1, page 4, page 5, page 6, page 31 (Editorial Comment)
The Independent 07/12/00 page 1, page 6-9, page 3 (Review), page 5 (Review)
The Guardian 07/12/00 page 1, page 12-13, page 24, page 25 (Leader)
