HC Deb 21 February 1990 vol 167 cc834-5W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will identify the revenue costs of alternative arrangements for each Thames regional health authority of the ambulance dispute to date.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

These costs have not yet been assessed by the authorities concerned.

Mr. Pendry

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what has been the cost of using the army, police and voluntary bodies on ambulance duties on(a) a daily basis, (b) a weekly basis and (c) total cost;

(2) what has been the cost to date of using the Army and police in each health authority in which the Army or police began performing ambulance duties.

Mr. Freeman

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: It is too soon for all these costs to have been assessed. The total cost for the provision of military assistance up to the end of December 1989 was £1.8 million. Figures for the costs of police assistance have not yet been assessed by all the authorities concerned.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost to date of(a) the police and (b) the Army doing ambulance duties; and what is the estimated daily cost.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

[holding answer 15 January 1990]: Costs have not yet all been assessed. The total cost for the provision of military assistance up to the end of December 1989 was £1.8 million. There are some offsetting savings from the normal service. The cost of police assistance has not yet been assessed by all the authorities concerned.

Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the normal weekly cost of the emergency service(a) to Coventry district health authority and (b) to each county.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

We do not collect this detailed local information centrally.

Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the weekly cost of(a) police assistance, (b) Army assistance, and (c) the emergency ambulance service that is still being incurred in each county.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

This information is not available. However, the cost for the provision of military assistance to the end of December 1989 was £1.8 million. The cost of police assistance has not yet been assessed by all the authorities concerned.

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