§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the gross expenditure for hospital purposes by each of the health and social services boards in Northern Ireland for 1989–90; what is the allocation to each for such purposes for 1990–91; and if he will express all such figures in terms of per capita spending in each board area.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe information for 1988–89, the latest year available, is as follows: 323W
Hospital Gross Revenue Expenditure Population Figures1 Expenditure Per Capita £ £ Northern Board 61,944,350 384,300 161.19 Southern Board 65,403,315 289,800 225.68 Eastern Board 244,551,304 645,200 379.03 Western Board 64,333,977 258,800 248.59 1These are the resident populations within each board area. No adjustment has been made for patients who, while being resident within one board area, receive hospital treatment within another board area (cross-boundary flows). This happens, for example, in the provision of regional specialties by the Eastern board. Information is not held centrally on the amount each board will allocate to hospital services for 1990–91. Allocations to the health and social services boards are made by the Department of Health and Social Services on a block basis and it is a matter for each board to arrange its services, commensurate with regional strategic priorities.