To ask the Minister of Health, pursuant to AQW 27125/17-22, to detail the reasons for it not being possible to extend the scope of the £500 recognition payment for independent health and social care workers to personnel working in the voluntary and private ambulance sector.

Staff within the private/voluntary ambulance sector are not within scope of the Special Recognition Payment.

Private ambulances will largely provide ad hoc cover at short notice where NIAS have difficulty with crews - it would not be possible to quantify the hours for individuals for a pro rata payment, based on the qualifying criteria - i.e. have worked continuously for one month over the qualifying period for directly employed, or, for agency workers, have been on a continuous 12 week placement covering an otherwise vacant post.