Oral Answers to Questions — Wales – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 31 October 1988.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make extra funds available to the health authorities of Wales; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend hopes to announce additional funding to meet the estimated costs of the nurses clinical regrading exercise in the next few days. This will result in an expected real terms increase in nurses pay of more than 40 per cent. since 1979.
Can the Minister say whether the consultants' report on whether north Walian people should have a satellite radiotherapy cancer treatment centre will appear in the near future? Will he bear in mind that many north Walian people have to undertake long journeys to Manchester and Liverpool for cancer treatment? No doubt the Minister will agree that if such journeys can occasionally be shortened a great deal of good will be done. We need a satellite centre at least in north Wales.
I take the hon. Gentleman's point. We are carrying out the investigation as fast as we can. We certainly have no desire to hold it up.
Is the Welsh Office yet in a position to provide brokerage funding to Clwyd health authority so that phase 2 of Glan Clwyd hospital—the scheme to relocate obstetric, gynaecology and special care baby services at the hospital—can be brought forward to the next financial year?
No. I cannot give my hon. Friend that undertaking.