The provision of ambulance services is the statutory responsibility of the individual health boards and it is a matter for the boards to adopt fleet management policies consistent with operational requirements. Health boards are also responsible for the procurement of ambulance vehicles.
On the recommendation of the National Ambulance Advisory Council, health boards were requested to adopt a fleet management policy for emergency ambulance vehicles. In this regard, the age profile of the ambulance fleet has improved greatly and I am pleased to say that at the end of 1998, 72% of emergency ambulance vehicles were less than five years old compared to 48% in 1994.
The funding that I am providing in 2000 for the ambulance service brings to more than £33 million the total resources provided since the report of the review group was published and will permit further improvements to take place. I will continue to provide additional resources for the development of the ambulance service in line with national policy in this regard.