§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what cost to public funds was incurred by his Department in rescuing the potholers in Yorkshire on Sunday 3 January; and whether action has been or is to be taken to claim these costs from the persons concerned.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergNo costs were incurred directly by the Department. Information on costs incurred in the National Health Service is not held centrally: the hon. Member may care to contact Yorkshire regional health authority and North Yorkshire area health authority. There are no powers to enable such costs to be recovered from the patients concerned.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce measures to ensure that the costs of hospital treatment and care given to potholers and others who take deliberate risks outside their normal occupations, and who consequently cause additional costs to be borne by public funds in cases where injury occurs, may be reclaimed from the insurance companies of those persons in a similar manner to the way in which repayment is made to the Health Service by the insurance companies of motorists involved in accidents.