§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of the extra funds for the National Health Service announced in the Budget which will go directly to National Health Service Trusts, how much of this funding is being allocated to Northern Ireland; which trusts are involved; and whether any of the money will be used for the relief of current debt. [HL1986]
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonNorthern Ireland's share of the extra National Health Service funding announced by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is £696 million. The extra allocations are £53 million in 2000–01, £82 million in 2001–02, £211 million in 2002–03 and £350 million in 2003–04. Mr Howarth, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health in Northern Ireland, has consulted a broad cross-section of health and personal social service interests on how these resources can best be targeted and will announce his decision shortly on the allocation of this year's additional resources.