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I will follow up the question from the hon. Member for East Carmarthen and Dinefwr about the Dyfed-Powys health authority, which is also causing great concern in Powys, the most rural county in Wales. We in Powys believe that there is a strong case for altering the formula by which the health authority is funded, to take account of sparsity of population. I understand that the Welsh Office is now reviewing the position. I sincerely hope that the health authority's threats to our community hospitals will not continue but that the Welsh Office resolves the matter of NHS provision in Wales by reforming the health authority's funding formula.

The Chairman: It is my hope that future questions, and answers from Ministers, will now be more brief than they have been so far.

Mr. Griffiths: The hon. Gentleman raised two issues. A review of the funding formula for the NHS in Wales is taking place. I hope that will tackle some of the problems that have been mentioned. Regarding the proposals made by Dyfed-Powys health authority, it withdrew its proposal to close a large number of community hospitals. I understand that it is now undertaking a new review--that the proposals originally envisaged are now dead.

Ann Clwyd: Does my hon. Friend not agree that we have a responsibility to reduce inequalities in the health service that were ignored by the previous Government and so became wider rather than smaller? Does he agree that people who live in areas such as the Cynon valley have less chance of living longer than those who live in wealthier parts of Wales? We have promised that by the year 2000 the United Kingdom will have reached the World Health Organisation's target of reducing health inequality by 25 per cent. Does my hon. Friend think that we have any chance of reaching that target?

Mr. Griffiths: I assure my hon. Friend that that is one of the fundamental matters that we intend to tackle. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has already announced a series of targets that we are setting ourselves to help the people in Wales. In the Welsh Office we are looking again at the issue of people's health and the inequalities that exist. In three or four years' time I want to be able to point to the improvements that we have made.

Mr. Llew Smith: Will my hon. Friend comment on the situation in my constituency, which has some of the worst health problems in the United Kingdom, including the highest rates of heart and respiratory disease and cancer? Does he accept that although we need more public expenditure to attack bad health, we also need jobs, decent wages and decent pensions? How do the Government intend to respond to the obvious links between deprivation and bad health?

Mr. Griffiths: As I have already said, we intend to tackle that problem as a matter of priority. We certainly hope that when the Welsh Assembly is created, its directly elected members will focus fully on the budget available in Wales to tackle those problems. By creating a new economic powerhouse, we will provide the jobs that are badly needed in constituencies such as Blaenau Gwent. I can aassure my hon. Friend that that will be one of our priority targets.

Public Transport (North Wales)

4. Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next plans to meet the European Transport Commissioner to discuss improvements in public transport in north Wales. [4320]

Mr Ron Davies: Although I have at present no plans to meet Commissioner Kinnock, I am keen to improve public transport throughout Wales as part of the development of an integrated transport policy. I should add that my hon. Friend the Member for Neath, in his capacity as Minister with responsibility for transport in Wales, has, together with his officials, already had a meeting with Commissioner Kinnock. They are, of course, in constant contact.

Mr. Hanson: I welcome my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Committee to the Delyn constituency. Would my right hon. Friend agree to examine the representation being made to Mr. Kinnock by Flintshire county council and other local authorities about the electrification of the Crewe-Holyhead rail link, which is vital to the economic prosperity of north Wales? Wll he also consider meeting the operator and the rail regulator to discuss the possibility of London trains stopping in Flintshire, which currently they do not?

Mr. Davis: As we are guests of Flintshire county council, it would be churlish of me to say no to either of those questions. The answer to both is therefore yes.

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: I thank the Secretary of State for providing the briefing to hon. Members before our meeting. The briefing shows that the European finance priority funding applies only to the route between Euston and Crewe; the route between Crewe and Holyhead is provided for only under the conventional Trans-European Network. As the previous Government refused to upgrade the north Wales line to priority status, will the Secretary of State give a commitment today that, in negotiations with Mr. Kinnock, he or his hon. Friend the Under-Secretary will push for priority status for north Wales?

Mr. Davis: The hon. Gentleman will understand if I cannot give a commitment today that that issue will receive priority treatment. I can however give him a commitment of our absolute determination to develop a properly intergrated public transport system. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made that announcement on 5 June. It was generally well received. The hon. Gentleman has argued his case forcefully for improved communications across the whole of north Wales. I look forward to discussing the subject with him. I understand the problem and we wish to address it.

Rail Links

5. Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to improve rail links between north and south Wales. [4321]

Mr. Hain: Under the present regulatory regime, this is a matter for the franchising director and train operators. However, I understand that South Wales and West Railways are committed to evaluating proposals for an increase in services between Cardiff and north Wales and I have instructed my officials to approach both companies to investigate prospects for improved services.

Dr. Marek: Is my hon. Friend aware that services from south Wales currently go to Crewe, not to north Wales, and that they do not go via Wrexham? One has to change trains. Short of taking the railways back into public ownership, can my hon. Friend do anything to reintroduce services between Holyhead, Chester, Wrexham, Shrewsbury and Cardiff, which would take in the largest town in north Wales and also make for a quicker journey? Can he do anything to persuade his civil servants and local government officers to use the train, not their car, on their trips from north Wales to Cardiff?

The Chairman: Will the Minister please resist the temptation to give a long journey of an answer.

Mr. Hain: After such an instruction, Mr Jones, I cannot fail to obey you.

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend's expertise. We are reviewing all possibilities. My hon. Friend has a genuine concern. Welsh Office Ministers and officials take the train whenever they can.

Mr. ™pik: I thank the Minister for his answer. Will he assure us that any such review will ensure an integrated approach, not just for north-south services, but for east-west services in the rail network?

Mr. Hain: The answer is yes. Indeed, last week I announced new funding provision for integrated transport, a subject which was totally ignored by the previous Government. It is because of their neglect that our publc transport system is in chaos and we are all suffering as a result.

North Wales Health Authority (Funding)

6. Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level of the budget of the North Wales health authority for (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99. [4322]

Mr. Win Griffiths: The 1997-98 revenue allocation for North Wales health authority is £367 million, comprising hospital, community and family health services and cash-limited general medical services. Decisions on future spending plans will be announced in due course.

Mr. Wigley: I also welcome you to this Committee, Mr. Jones, and congratulate you on your appointment.

Is the Minister aware of the great concern in north Wales that inadequate money was available for the North Wales health authority to enable it to keep its commitment to build community hospitals at Porthmadog in my constituency, and indeed in Holywell? Is the Minister also aware that the cancer provision in Bangor was threatened, although it may now be safe? Is he aware that, as other hon. Members have said, this is part of a problem throughout Wales?

It is not good enough to shift financial resources in the coming financial year from one pocket to another in Wales. Additional financial resources are needed for north Wales and for the whole of Wales if we are to have the services we need and if those who need to be in hospital this winter are not to be denied hospital beds.

Mr. Griffiths: The hon. Gentleman will know, as we had a meeting last week about the Porthmadog hospital, that we are anxious to do whatever we can to help that project to go ahead. Again I feel certain that the cancer unit project at Bangor, at Ysbyty Gywnedd, will go ahead. We shall want to review the North Wales health authority's provision across north Wales to ensure that it makes sense. As I have already said, one of my priorities is to ensure that we do not face the problem of hospital closures this winter owing to an inability to cope with accidents and emergencies.

Mr Rhodri Morgan: Did my hon. Friend see the press coverage in yesterday's Wales on Sunday newspaper about the dispute between the North Wales health authority, the other four health authorities in Wales and the University Hospital of Wales about setting up a heart transplant centre in Cardiff? Not everybody in Wales needs a heart transplant--I am thinking particularly of Scott Gibbs and Neil Jenkins, who have plenty of heart already. But those who need heart transplants and who may not be able to go to Harefield should have the right to have the operation in Wales. Does my hon. Friend agree that he should be knocking together the heads of the chiefs of the five health authorities and the University Hospital of Wales, so that funding and arrangements can be put in place to enable people in Wales to have heart transplant operations in Wales?