WALES' ambulance chief has hit back at criticism of the service's performance figures. Chief ambulance officer John Bottell, (pictured) speaking after the attack by Tory Assembly leader Nick Bourne, said the Assembly recognised the need for further investment in the ambulance service - and had provided an extra £500,000 of funding for new vehicles and equipment.

But he warned that yet more funding would be required if the service was to achieve the performance targets expected of it.

Mr Bourne laid the service's difficulties at the door of the Assembly as part of a wider attack on the Lib-Lab administration's approach to the health service. He said NHS in Wales was "a poor cousin" of that in England

Of the ambulance service, he said: "The fact that our ambulances are failing to reach the same standards that are being achieved in England is a clear indication that our Lib-Lab administration have got their priorities completely wrong.

"The ambulance service is vital to the make-up of our NHS and delivers a life or death service that cannot be allowed to compromise."

The ambulance service will not meet the target of responding to at least 75 per cent of category A - immediately life threatening - emergency calls within eight minutes by the end of 2001.

But it is working towards that standard and while there is some way to go, it has recorded steady improvements in performance during 2001.

In addition to extra Assembly funding, health authorities have also provided additional cash to help meet performance targets.

Mr Bottell said the effects of this extra investment will kick in later this year, but he warned that more money is needed.

"A recent report commissioned by the Assembly and independently carried out, highlighted that considerable further investment is still needed if the service is to move towards new performance standards and achieve equity across Wales," he said.

"Additional funding is now under consideration as part of health service priorities and the ambulance service will continue to provide the best possible service it can within existing resources."