§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State ;for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of 1he effect which Irish Republican Army terrorist actions have on the provision of health services for the population in Northern Ireland.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Richard Needham)Any terrorist crime that maims or kills adds to the cost of care and therefore reduces resources in other parts of the National Health Service.
§ Rev. Martin SmythI welcome that frank admission by the Minister because we are often told that we are spending undue amounts of money in Northern Ireland. Will he join me in paying tribute to the specialists, doctors, nurses, the professions supplemental to medicine, the ambulance workers and the ancillaries for their tremendous work throughout the long years of terrorism?
§ Mr. NeedhamOf course, Sir. That goes without saying. In Northern Ireland we have one of the finest Health Services not only anywhere in the country, but anywhere in Europe, and we are deeply indebted to those who work in it.
§ Mr. StottI support what the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Rev. Martin Smyth) said about the Health Service in Northern Ireland. The Minister will be aware that all the catering services of the Western health board have been privatised to a company called Gardner Merchant. Can he confirm that Anderson house, a former maternity unit that is now closed, is being used as free office space by that company? Is he further aware that Gardner Merchant is using telephones and stationery supplied by the Western health board? Is he aware that an environmental health investigation into the kitchens at three hospitals found dirty dishes left lying around overnight, floors not cleaned, meals arriving up to one hour late, staffing being halved and junior doctors in Altnagelvin hospital complaining about the standards of hygiene? Is not privatisation doing more damage to the Health Service in Northern Ireland than the terrorists ever could?
§ Mr. NeedhamThe original question referred to IRA terrorism and its effect on the Health Service. I can 1147 understand the hon. Gentleman wishing to make his political points, but they are hardly in line with the question.
On the point about competitive tendering, clearly we should encourage anything that reduces costs in one area in Northern Ireland and can lead to more spending on direct health care. Although Northern Ireland has been slower going down that road than elsewhere in the country, as the hon. Gentleman is fully aware, £1.3 million can now be saved by the Western health board and go directly to improved patient services.
§ Mr. BellinghamIs the Minister aware that it is always possible to find isolated examples of standards being below par? Can he confirm that expenditure on the NHS in Northern Ireland per head of population is much higher than elsewhere in the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. NeedhamIt is higher than elsewhere in the United Kingdom because we have a higher incidence of disease and poverty there. Since 1979, the amount of money that we have spent on the Health Service has increased from £690 million to over £1 billion. That is a real increase of over 20 per cent. We can be justifiably proud of our record.