Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:09 pm on 28 February 1991.
I visited the site a few days ago and the boundary line was pointed out to me. The hon. Gentleman is correct, most of the gaps are in west Glamorgan. However, the hon. Gentleman was wrong in his other remarks. On site, I took out my pocket calculator and worked out that I was now devoting a total of £163 million in resources to fill the M4 gaps. I regard that as worthwhile investment because, according to the strategy that the Minister of State pioneered for working out values, for £163 million invested we get £187 million worth of improvement. The hon. Gentleman sought to make a party point, but I cannot recall the extent to which his party when it was in office gave this high priority. We certainly do.
The national health service is fast approaching one of its most important changes since its foundation in 1947. In Wales, we are spending more than ever before on health and personal social services, and I take great pride in that. Spending in Wales is £55 per head more than it is in England. Activity in the health service in Wales is at an all-time high. I am happy to say that 472,021 in-patients, 94,624 day-patients and 2,296,064 out-patients were treated in the year to June 1990. Those figures represent increases of 36·5 per cent., 246 per cent. and nearly 30 per cent. respectively on the 1979 figures. We are also making the most of the new treatments that are available and the potential of new technologies.
Although I do not normally enjoy watching open-heart operations, I was much impressed with the technical advancements in coronary treatment and bone marrow transplants that I recently witnessed at the University hospital of Wales. It was marvellous to watch that work, and to realise that it is some of the most pioneering work that is being done anywhere in Europe.
The district health authority chairmen have responded constructively and enthusiastically to the opportunities presented by the national health service reforms. Moreover, during the past year, Pembrokeshire district health authority has expressed interest to me in seeking self-governing status. I was pleased to be able to tell the authority that I was content for it to work up its proposal into a formal application.