§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest planned expenditure for Health in Wales for 1997–98; and how this figure differs in real terms from that planned for 1997–98 when the figure was first included in the Welsh Office forward financial programme. [17187]
§ Mr. HaguePlanned expenditure for 1997–98 for health and personal social services was first included in the Welsh Office departmental report 1995–96 to 1997–98 (Cm 2815). This was £2,321 million at 1995–96 prices and including forecast gross domestic product inflation as at November 1994. The 1997–98 provision for health and personal social services is £2.368 million at 1997–98 prices, including forecast GDP inflation as at December 1996. On a common price basis, 1997–98 provision represents a real-terms increase of £53 million over the earlier plans figure.