§ 4. Mr. Ted Rowlands (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)When he next expects to meet the First Secretary to discuss the financing of the health service in Wales. [108912]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. David Hanson)My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State regularly meets the First Secretary to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales, including health matters, and I have regular meetings with the Assembly Health and Social Services Secretary. The issues discussed, of course, include the funding of the NHS in Wales, but any decision on the allocation of health funding within Wales is a matter for the National Assembly.
§ Mr. RowlandsWhen my hon. Friend meets the First Secretary, will he underline the deep concern felt in north Glamorgan about the state of our acute health services and the fact that we have not been able to make key consultant appointments? Is he aware that Bro Taff is claiming that it has a projected deficit of £18 million and therefore cannot make such improvements? Given the large amount 936 of extra resources to be put into the health service, will he make sure that those resources go to the communities suffering the greatest need and deprivation?
§ Mr. HansonMy hon. Friend raises important points. I will ensure that his strength of feeling about deprivation and allocation of resources is conveyed to the Health Secretary, Jane Hutt. I can tell him that the resource increases are significant. This year in Wales, the national health service will receive £2.8 billion, a 7 per cent. increase of £182 million over resources last year. That reflects real commitment by the Government, matched by partnership with the Assembly.
Mr. Lembit öpik (Montgomeryshire)Will the Minister discuss with the First Minister or the Health Secretary in the Assembly the prospect of holding a review of bed spaces in Wales, in line with the review being held in England?
§ Mr. HansonI shall certainly draw that issue to the attention of the Assembly Secretary for Health and Social Services, but I stress that it is a matter for the National Assembly, which has to make the decisions. That is the position.
§ Mr. Denzil Davies (Llanelli)Will the Secretary of State examine the crazy system of financing health authorities in Wales, whereby the authorities are deemed to have large deficits, which have arisen through providing health services? They are told to wipe out their deficits, but they can do that only by wiping out health services. Will the Secretary of State reconsider that system and institute a root and branch investigation into it?
§ Mr. HansonMy right hon. Friend makes important points. The Government's commitment to increasing health expenditure in Wales and elsewhere in the United Kingdom has been made to ensure that we provide better public services at the sharp end. I shall discuss my right hon. Friend's point with the Assembly Secretary for Health and Social Services.