HC Deb 24 April 2001 vol 367 cc223-5W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Ynys Môn constituency, the effects on Ynys Môn of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997; [154962]

(2) if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Caernarfon constituency, the effects on Caernarfon of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997; [154964]

(3) if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Meirionnydd Nant Conwy constituency, the effects on Meirionnydd Nant Conwy of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [154965]

Mr. Paul Murphy

As these questions were originally addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, my response concentrates on the effects of my Department's policies and actions on health services prior to 1 July 1999, when responsibility for their provision transferred to the National Assembly for Wales.

Because of the way in which health services are organised, it is not practicable to provide information which is specific to individual constituencies. The timing of financial and statistical exercises also means that some of the figures quoted relate to periods ending shortly before or shortly after 30 June 1999.

In October 1997, an additional £2.2 million was made available to North Wales health authority, over and above its financial allocation for the year, to provide enhanced patient care. The authority's basic allocation for 1998–99, at £381.3 million, represented a year-on-year cash increase of £13.6 million. This was further enhanced by £4.1 million in April 1998 to address waiting list issues, and £2.6 million in November for dealing with winter pressures.

Between annual counts taken in September 1997 and September 1999, the number of directly employed NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the area of the North Wales health authority increased by 267.4 in full-time equivalent terms. Over the same period, medical and dental staff increased by 29.8.

Health services in these constituencies will also have benefited from a range of important all-Wales policy initiatives which were developed between May 1997 and June 1999. These include: Delivering Care-Meeting Need—a comprehensive package of measures for primary and community health care (1997); Putting Patients First—which promoted a series of reforms for the NHS in Wales, such as the abolition of the internal market and GP fundholding, and the introduction of new structures such as Local Health Groups and Health Improvement Programmes (1998); Better Health, Better Wales—a strategy for improving public health (1998); Quality Care and Clinical Excellence—a programme for clinical effectiveness (1998); Reconfiguration of NHS Trusts—a programme of mergers which reduced the total number of NHS Trusts from 29 to 16 (1999).

Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Ceredigion constituency, the effects on Ceredigion of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [154963]

Mr. Paul Murphy

As this question was originally addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, my response concentrates on the effects of my Department's policies and actions on health services prior to 1 July 1999, when responsibility for their provision transferred to the National Assembly for Wales.

Because of the way in which health services are organised, it is not practicable to provide information which is specific to an individual constituency. The timing of financial and statistical exercises also means that some of the figures quoted relate to periods ending shortly before or shortly after 30 June 1999.

In October 1997, an additional £1.8 million was made available to Dyfed Powys health authority, over and above its financial allocation for the year, to provide enhanced patient care. The authority's basic allocation for 1998–99, at £283.4 million, represented a year-on-year cash increase of £9.6 million. This was further enhanced by £3.0 million in April 1998 to address waiting list issues, and £1.9 million in November for dealing with winter pressures.

Between annual counts taken in September 1997 and September 1999, the number of directly employed NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the area of the Dyfed Powys health authority increased by 20.9 in full-time equivalent terms. Over the same period, medical and dental staff increased by 28.3.

Health services in Ceredigion will also have benefited from a range of important all-Wales policy initiatives which were developed between May 1997 and June 1999. These included: Delivering Care—Meeting Need—a comprehensive package of measures for primary and community health care (1997); Putting Patients First—which promoted a series of reforms for the NHS in Wales, such as the abolition of the internal market and GP fundholding, and the introduction of new structures such as local health groups and health improvement programmes (1998); Better Health, Better Wales—a strategy for improving public health (1998); Quality Care and Clinical Excellence—a programme for clinical effectiveness (1998); Reconfiguration of NHS Trusts—a programme of mergers which reduced the total number of NHS Trusts from 29 to 16 (1999).