§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what additional funding he will provide to enhance ambulance and accident and emergency services' ability to protect staff and to improve decontamination facilities, as announced in the Government paper on 21 July, "Defending Against the Threat from Biological and Chemical Weapons"; and if he will make a statement; [93096]
(2) what additional resources he will make available to (a) health authorities and (b) ambulance trusts in England and Wales for the preparation, provision and annual funding needed to meet the new tasks announced in the Government paper on 21 July, "Defending Against the Threat from Biological and Chemical Weapons"; and if he will make a statement; [93098]
(3) in what ways, and at what cost, his Department will co-ordinate the emergency provision of healthcare services in response to a release of biological or chemical material, as announced on 21 July in the Government paper, "Defending Against the Threat from Biological and Chemical Weapons"; and if he will make a statement. [93097]
§ Ms JowellThe Department and the National Health Service have already begun to enhance the capacity of the health service to deal with a possible threat from chemical or biological weapons. Measures being taken as part of this enhancement programme include the further strengthening of protection for ambulance service and hospital staff, and the improvement of decontamination facilities.
Improvements to facilities for decontamination are included in the Government's £115 million accident and emergency modernisation programme, which was announced earlier this year. We are making resources available to ensure the success of the enhancement programme to strengthen further the response capacity of the health service.