§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each district health authority the additional allocation made for the ambulance service to convey tourists to hospital; and if he will supply these statistics for each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Mark RobinsonNo specific allocations are made to health authorities for ambulance services. Health 405W authorities determine the level of provision for ambulance services within their overall discretionary revenue and capital allocations on the basis of their own assessments of local circumstances and priorities. However, in recogniton of the significant extra demands placed upon accident and emergency services in the summer months, allocations of £20,000 were built in to the revenue funding of Clwyd, Gwynedd and the former Dyfed health authorities in 1976–77 on a recurring basis. This provision has since been enhanced by the varying percentages of discretionary growth which the respective authorities have received and by allowances for inflation over the past 10 years; but no further allocations specifically in respect of tourism have been made since then.
The scale of this provision and its distribution was reviewed by the former steering committee on resources allocation in Wales in 1981 and it was agreed that no changes should be made. It will be reviewed again by the steering group's successor body, the resources allocation working group, during the coming months.
I should also point out that, in using the RAWG revenue formula to assess the relative funding needs of health authorities in Wales and hence to determine the distribution of resources made available by my right hon. Friend for further progress towards equalisation, account
Table 1 National Coal Board (British Coal) opencast sites Decisions given on applications for authorisation (including deemed planning permission) inquiries held Site Date commenced Date completed Date inspection reported Whether inspector's recommendations accepted Decision Blaina Deep 30 October 1962 31 October 1962 November 1962 * Authorised Abercrave Gwaunton 31 July 1963 1August 1963 22 August 1963 Yes Authorised Colliers Row 3 June 1970 — 10 September 1970 Yes Not authorised Cwmgorse 24 November 1970 25 November 1970 23 December 1970 Yes Authorised Bryngoleu 14 September 1971 14 September 1971 23 September 1971 Yes Authorised Dryn 19 September 1972 21 September 1972 10 October 1972 Yes Authorised Brynpica Extension South 24 April 1974 26 April 1974 24 May 1974 * Authorised Glynglas South 11 November 1975 l3 November 1975 December 1975 No Authorised Hirwaun Common North 2 (near Pencoed Llanharan) 3 February 1976 5 February 1976 19 March 1976 Yes Authorised Cross Tree Farm 10 November 1976 10 November 1976 28 January 1977 Yes Authorised Park Slip Extension 23 May 1978 25 May 1978 June 1978 Yes Authorised Glyn Tai 20 March 1979 22 March 1979 19 June 1979 No Authorised Pont Einion 25 September 1979 23 October 1979 18 January 1980 No Not authorised Ffyndaff 4 December 1979 6 December 1979 14 January 1980 Yes Authorised * No recommendation made. 406W
Table 2 NCB opencast applications—in hand Inquiries held Site Date commenced Date finished Date inspector's report received Decision Garnant Amman Valley (Authorisation and Planning Appeal) 10 September 1985 4 October 1985 18 April 1986 Under consideration Ley Farm Chirk (Authorisation and Orders) 7 May 1986 12 May 1986 5 June 1986 Under consideration is taken of cross-boundary flows of patients and thus the impact which tourists and other visitors make upon all hospital and ambulance services in Wales.