§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision was made in the cash allocation for health authorities in Wales in 1993–94 for the change in regulations governing statutory sick pay announced in the Budget in November 1993.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThere has been no specific provision. Overall authorities in Wales have benefited from increases in their discretionary allocations—2.2 per cent. in1993–94 and 2.8 per cent. in 1994–95. These cash increases, together with the efficiency savings that authorities have been required to achieve in their contacts with service providers, should have been more than sufficient to meet all pay and non-pay cost increases. Patient activity is expected to increase by more than 4 per cent. in the current financial year.