§
Motion made, and Question proposed:
That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £10,650, be granted to His Majesty to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1930, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Department of Health for Scotland, including Grants and other Expenses in connection with Housing, Grants to Local Authorities, etc., in connection with Public Health Services, Grants in Aid of the Highlands and Islands Medical Service. Grants-in-Aid of Benefits and Expenses of Administration under the National Health Insurance Acts, certain expenses in connection with the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, and certain Special Services.
The SECRETARY of STATE. for SCOTLAND (Mr. William Adamson)This is a special grant for improving medical services in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and for purposes connected therewith. This was provided for in the Bill which passed through this House within the last two weeks without opposition. The additional sum is required to supplement the annual grant payable under the Highlands and Islands Medical Services Grant Act, 1913. The grant-in-aid will be paid into a separate fund called the Highlands and Islands Medical Services Fund. This fund will be subject to regulations made by the Treasury with respect to accounts, audit, and accumulations. The fund will be 1163 administered by the Department in accordance with schemes made by the Department and with the consent of the Treasury. Expenditure out of the fund will be accounted for in full detail to the Comptroller and Auditor-General. Any balance of the sum issued which may remain unexpended at the 31st March, 1930, will not be liable to surrender to the Exchequer. We had practically every stage of this grant discussed when we had the Highlands and Islands Bill in Committee two or three weeks ago, and I do not expect we shall have opposition from any part of the Committee—at least, no opposition was made to the Bill as it made its passage through all its stages, and this is the complement to the Bill. I hope that hon. Members on all sides of the Committee are going to give us this Estimate, which I now move.
§ Major ELLIOTI am sure, that, as the Secretary of State for Scotland has just said, this is a complement to the Bill; and the House of Commons is asked, of course, to pay this complement. Still, we approved of the Bill, and we approve of the Supplementary Estimate. But some of my hon. Friends have some doubts about the constitutional procedure of taking a Supplementary Estimate before the Bill to which it refers has passed through both Houses of Parliament. We might, therefore, ask for more information on the Report stage, but at the present stage of the proceedings we all desire to get the Bill through, and we wish the Bill well. We also wish the Secretary of State far Scotland the best of good fortune.
§ Resolutions to be reported To-morrow; Committee to sit again To-morrow.