To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 July 2006, Official Report, column 1207W, on community hospitals, what assessment her Department has made of the need for community hospital beds across England in the next five years. (91798)

We will consider proposals from primary care trusts (PCTs) under this programme. PCTs are in the best position to assess the needs of their local communities for these facilities.

The Department is committed to allocating £750 million capital funding to PCTs for new community hospitals and facilities over the next five years. We welcome bids from all PCTs and other interested providers, for example from the voluntary sector, whose strategic health authorities submitted applications to the Department by 21 October.