To ask the Secretary of State for Health what annual payments are required to be made by (a) Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS hospitals trust and (b) other NHS bodies under the private finance initiative contract for the Queen’s hospital in Romford; to whom such payments are made; and what the duration of the contract is. (170427)

Based on the latest service payment invoice for the period covering the quarter to 15 January 2008, the annualised value of the service payments is approximately £40.7 million per year. This figure excludes value added tax (VAT), but VAT is reclaimable under current national health service arrangements.

The payments are made to Catalyst Healthcare (Romford) Ltd.

The contract term is 36 years, covering the construction and operational period, which expires on 15 January 2040.