§ 9. Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial contribution of capital and revenue his Department makes to meet the expenses of those living in north Wales who receive medical treatment in facilities operated by the North West regional health authority.
§ Mr. GristThe authority's allocations from the Department of Health include provision for the costs of treating patients from outside the region, including north Wales. However, in cases where contracts for specific service developments for north Wales patients have been agreed, the costs have been met by Welsh health 875 authorities from funds provided by the Welsh Office. In 1988–89, the cost of treatment provided to Welsh patients in the north-west region under such arrangements amounted to some £26,300.
§ Mr. JackI am grateful for the detail of my hon. Friend's answer. Can he confirm that under the new arrangements in the Bill now proceeding through Parliament, cross-boundary flows will attach themselves to Welsh patients seeking treatment in Merseyside and the north-west? Will he confirm that that money will represent extra money for the north Wales health services, that those treatments will be properly funded and that there will be no resistance to such treatment because people will know that under the new arrangements they will be paid for?
§ Mr. GristMy hon. Friend is absolutely right about the purpose of the Bill now going through the other place. I remind him that I said that the north-west region and other English regions are funded for the Welsh patients that they take and we would therefore expect some of that money to come back to Wales so that if Welsh patients choose in future to go to England they would have the money to take back with them because the funding for such treatment would be on their heads rather than funded directly by the Department of Health.