The information requested by the Deputy on employment levels for particular categories of health service staff is set out in the table at the end of this reply. He may wish to note the significant increases in employment since 1997. There have been increases of 1,648, 33.1%, in the number of medical personnel, 6,409, 23.4%, in nursing staff and 6,684, 112%, in health and social care professionals including physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, social workers and psychologists. The large increases in the employment of key front line professionals in the health services have been maintained despite the changed budgetary and economic environment. They have underpinned substantial increases in the quantity and quality of health and social care provided to the public, consistent with the major investments made in the health sector since 1997.