§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current establishment by rank for the South Yorkshire ambulance service; what is the number of vacancies in each rank; and what were the comparable figures 10 years ago.
§ Mr. DorrellThis information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, the chairman of Trent regional health authority for details.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current number of(a) emergency and (b) non-emergency ambulance vehicles in the ownership of the South Yorkshire ambulance service; and what were the figures for 10 years ago.
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§ Mr. DorrellThis information is not held centrally in exactly the form requested. The table shows the number of vehicles, by type, owned by the South Yorkshire metropolitan ambulance service in 1985–86 and 1988–89. These are the earliest and latest years for which this information is available.
Ambulance service vehicles for Yorkshire ambulance service Year 1985–86 1988–89 Ambulances Two-trolley Emergency 131 12 Two-trolley Dual Purpose 95 187 Sitting case seats only (under 14) 102 31 Sitting case stretcher capacity — — Sitting case seats plus lift mechanism — 128 Car (with or without stretcher capacity) 28 23 Bus—14 or more seats with or without stretcher or wheelchair capacity — — Total ambulance service vehicles used to transport patients 356 381 Other Ambulance Services Vehicles Major incident vehicles—radio and/or equipment vehicles (trailers, caravans, etc.) 3 3 Recovery vehicles (Land Rover type or converted ambulance) 1 3 Other ambulance service vehicles 18 25 Total other ambulance service vehicles 22 31 Total ambulance service vehicles 378 412 Source: National ambulance service surveys district finance department, York health authority.