Northern Ireland Ambulance Service

HL Deb 10 March 2003 vol 645 cc161-2WA

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10 February (WA 96) concerning the press release of 3 July on the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, how much was at that time intended to be spent on the service in 2003–04 and 2004–05; and how these figures have since changed. [HL1715]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Of the £16.2 million announced on 3 July 2002, £4 million only was committed for spending in 2002–03 and 2003–04, with the balance to be addressed in future budgetary allocation decisions.

On 19 February 2003, the Minister with responsibility for finance and personnel announced planned allocations from the Strategic Investment Programme over the five-year period to 2007–08. These included £3.0 million for the reconfiguration of ambulance control and communications sytems, half of which is profiled for 2004–05; and £ 26.1 million for other actions to modernise and improve the ambulance service. Annual expenditure on these will be profiled once decisions have been reached on the best approach to financing them.