§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the sum to be allocated to the580W Merseyside regional area out of the £100 million additional funds made available in the financial year 1987–88; and how much of that sum is to be allocated to the St. Helens and Knowsley district health authority.
§ Mrs. CurrieTotal additional funding for the United Kingdom announced on 16 December 1987 by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health, is over £100 million of which £13.3 million is to offset the costs of the damage caused by the severe storms on 16 October and mainly affects health authorities in London and the south-east. Of the remainder, £75 million is for English health authorities and includes £10 million in further recognition of the particular pressures from the steadily rising number of AIDS cases which three of the Thames regions are facing this year.
The Mersey regional health authority's share of the additional funds is £3.4 million. It is for the region to determine how these extra resources are spent locally and the hon. Member may care to contact the regional chairman for information on how the money is being used.