HC Deb 25 February 2003 vol 400 cc507-8W
Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allocation of chemical protection suits has been made to each ambulance NHS trust; and if he will make a statement. [97788]

Mr. Lammy

On 14 March 2002 the Department issued a letter outlining the process for purchasing mobile decontamination units and personal protective equipment (PPE) suits for chemical incidents.

The funding allocation made to each region in the financial year 2002–03 is:

£
Eastern 458,000
London 575,000
Northern and Yorkshire 630,000
North West 673,000
South East 968,000
South West 706,000
Trent 407,000
West Midlands 583,000

Regional offices are free to agree with National Health Service trusts the number of decontamination facilities and the amount of associated PPE and any other items that can be obtained from the regional allocation to implement regional strategies.

The number of suits ordered to date by ambulance trusts is as follows:

No.
Avon 100
Bedfordshire 100
Cumbria 100
Dorset 100
East Anglian 200
East Midlands 150
Essex 100
Greater Manchester 150
Guernsey 12
Hampshire 150
Hereford and Worcester 50
Kent 150
Lancashire 150
Lincolnshire 100
London 350
Mersey 200
North East 200
Oxfordshire 100
Royal Berks. 100
South Yorkshire 50
Surrey 150
Sussex 100
Tees East & North Yorks. 150
Two Shires 100
West Country 400
West Midlands 105
West Yorkshire 100
Wiltshire 100