HC Deb 17 May 1990 vol 172 cc524-5W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed by Gwynedd health authority on the most recent convenient date; and what was the corresponding figure five and 10 years previously.

Mr. David Hunt

The available information, which relates to whole-time equivalent staff in post as at 30 September, is given in the table:

Number
1979 3,588
1984 4,138
1989 4,269

These figures have not been adjusted to take account of the change in nurses' hours from 40 to 37.5 in 1980.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost of the Deloittes consultant's report on the financial position of Gwynedd health authority undertaken in 1987; how much of this was paid for by(a) his Department and (b) Gwynedd health authority; what are the estimates of the corresponding figures for the new report currently being undertaken by consultants into Gwynedd health authority finances; whether this new report will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt

The final cost of the financial review and related work undertaken for Gwynedd health authority by Deloitte, Haskins and Sells in 1987 and 1988 was £173,650 inclusive of VAT. All of this was met by the Welsh Office.

The cost of the current review of the authority's financial strategy, which is being undertaken by Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte, is estimated at £7,000 plus VAT. This will be met by the authority, along with the further cost of an evaluation of its estate by the consultants at an estimated cost of £10,000 plus VAT. The consultants have also been commissioned to assist the authority to study the strategic options open to it and to produce pathfinder procurement and unit business plans for the contractual provision of services from 1 April 1991. The cost of this particular element in the consultant's brief is estimated at £53,000 plus VAT. The Welsh Office and the authority will each meet half this cost.

The decision on whether to publish the studies is one for Gwynedd health authority.