HC Deb 29 July 1998 vol 317 cc275-6W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for North-East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Moss) of 21 July 1998, Official Report, column 439, at what (a) age and (b) mileage level the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service considers ambulances become out of standard and requiring replacement. [52788]

Mr. Paul Murphy

[holding answer 28 July 1998]: DHSS Guidelines for the replacement of accident and emergency ambulances stipulate that vehicles should be replaced after they have reached 7 years of age or whenever they have covered 140,000 miles, whichever is the sooner. For patient care service vehicles this is 5 years or 70,000 miles.