§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what percentage of the health budget accounts for travel costs in the following regional health authorities(a) Northern, (b) North East Thames, and (c) Merseyside in the latest year for which figures are available.
(2) what were the costs both in absolute terms and as a percentage spent on transporting of patients to and from medical establishments in the latest year for which figures are available in the following regional health authorities (a) Northern, (b) North East Thames, and (c) Merseyside.
§ Mrs. CurrieI regret that information precisely as requested is not held centrally. Following is the information available from annual accounts submitted to the Department by the regional and district health authorities comprising the Northern, North-East Thames and Mersey regions for 1986–87 (the latest year available):
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(1) Total revenue expenditure on ambulance services Region £'000 As a proportion of all revenue expenditure per cent. Northern 20,629 3.10 North East Thames 21,820 2.24 Mersey 13,390 2.47
(2) Total revenue expenditure on non-ambulance transport1 Region £'000 As a proportion of all revenue expenditure per cent. Northern 2,510 0.38 North East Thames 4,263 0.44 Mersey 2,317 0.43 1 Includes costs for the transportation of staff, stores, materials, etc. and patients. (These components are not separately identifiable). Note: The figures at (1) and (2) include the travelling and subsistence costs of the staff employed in providing ambulance and non-ambulance transport services. Other staff travelling and subsistence costs are excluded.