§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he now has the bills from the Army and the police incurred during the ambulance dispute; if he will detail the total costs from both the sources; and how they are being divided between each health region.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe bill for the provision of military assistance during the ambulance dispute was £7.2 million. The cost, which stemmed partly from the training and general preparations needed to achieve a state of readiness across the country, is being shared between all regional health authorities in proportion to their share of main hospital and community health service revenue allocations. Information is not held centrally on the costs of assistance by police and other organisations which are being met directly by the health authorities concerned.