HC Deb 16 February 1999 vol 325 cc620-1W
Mr. Moss

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the capitation formula for the health boards was last determined; and what changes to the funding formula per board are proposed over the current planning period. [70099]

Mr. McFall

The current Regional capitation formula was determined in September 1997 and was first used to inform the 1998–99 allocation to Health and Social Services (HSS) Boards.

The following changes, which will apply to all HSS Boards, are proposed over the current planning period:

  1. (i) the updating of the age and sex expenditure weights currently used in the formula;
  2. (ii) the development and implementation of Northern Ireland specific indicators of need in those parts of the formula which currently have interim weightings based on English research.

£000
Financial year Northern HSS board Southern HSS board Eastern HSS board Western HSS board Total
1993–94 206,711 169,130 411,015 145,838 932,694
1994–95 222,059 181,762 423,774 154,446 982,041
1995–96 238,619 193,290 448,641 166,096 1,046,646
1996–97 252,246 194,613 434,200 181,369 1,062,428
1997–98 261,667 203,320 452,228 189,586 1,106,801