§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the costs, both in absolute and percentage terms, spent on transportation of patients to and from medical establishments in the latest year for which figures are available in(a) the Western Isles, (b) the Highlands and (c) the Borders.
£,000 1986–87 Scottish ambulance service Highlands and Western Isles Fife, Lothian and Borders Scotland £ £ £ Total costs 2,048 5,861 26,994 Percentage of Scotland total 7.6 21.7 100
§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the health budget accounts for travel costs in each of the following health boards(a) the Western Isles (b) the Highlands and (c) the Borders in the latest year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythI assume the question relates to reimbursement of patients' travel costs. The patients' travelling expenses schemes are centrally funded and do not affect the annual allocation to each health board. Expenditure on the schemes in 1986–87 in the respective health board areas is set out in the table.
Expenditure on patients travelling expenses schemes 1986–87 Equivalent percentage of health board allocation for 1986–87 £'000s Percentage Western Isles Health Board area 256 3.3 Highland Health Board area 361 0.6 Borders Health Board area 1 0.004