Health service 'not underfunded'

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Northern Ireland's health service is not underfunded, Finance Minister Peter Robinson has said.

Mr Robinson was responding to comments by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey that the local health service was not as well funded as England's.

He told an assembly committee what was needed was "a better health service, not a more expensive one".

Mr Robinson said the NI health service received 10% more per head than England, but was 11% less efficient.

He said if it could reach the same level of efficiency "hundreds of millions of pounds" could be freed up for front line services.

Mr Robinson said Mr McGimpsey has more money at his disposal than any previous health minister.

He added that the number of administrative staff had increased by 36.5% in the past 10 years, yet productivity had fallen.