§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been provided with electrically powered indoor wheelchairs by health authorities in England in each of the last three years. [19374]
§ Mr. BurnsWe do not collect separate figures for indoor-powered wheelchairs. However, the respective figure for all powered wheelchairs are:
- 1993–94: 8,569
- 1994–95: 9,441
- 1995–96: 10,000
§ Mr. HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been provided with electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs by health authorities in England in each of the last three years. [19375]
§ Mr. BurnsNo separate information was collected before 1996–97 about the number of electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs issued by the national health service wheelchair services. From 1996–97, additional funding for the provision of electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs has been made available to health authorities as part of the wheelchair initiative announced by my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), on 26 February 1996. By 6 February 1997, a total of 718 electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs had been ordered and were in the process of being issued.
§ Mr. HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure has been incurred by health authorities for the purchase of electrically powered(a) indoor and (b) indoor-outdoor wheelchairs in each of the last three years. [19376]
§ Mr. BurnsThe information requested about expenditure on electrically powered indoor wheelchairs is not collected centrally.
Additional funding amount to £6.4 million has been paid to health authorities in England for the financial year 1996–97 for the provision of electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs as part of the wheelchair initiatives announced on 26 February 1996.