To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the timetable for future capital investment for the hospital building programme for Scotland. [6759]

The following amounts will be available for spending on capital projects in Scotland over the next three years.

• 1997–98: £140,930,000
• 1998–99: £178,707,000
• 1999–2000: £178,272,000.

These figures are net of capital receipts. Included in this expenditure is spending on large capital schemes at the Western General Hospital NHS Trust in Edinburgh, Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and the Glasgow Royal Infirmary NHS Trust.In addition, a number of major capital schemes are being taken forward under the Private Finance Initiative.