Tory hospital schemes abandoned

Some of the Conservative government's privately financed hospital schemes are to be abandoned, it was announced yesterday.

Alan Milburn, the health minister, has invited MPs to make the case for their local schemes so that he can target resources more effectively. He will announce his decision at the end of the month. Projects will be graded according to how much they are needed, their sponsorship chances, and how far they have already progressed. Fran Abrams