HC Deb 06 December 1954 vol 535 cc581-2
8. Mr. Collins

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many hospital management committees, who have only kept expenditure within estimates by restricting maintenance of buildings and similar expedients, have no exchequer funds available to help with Christmas festivities; and if he will provide regional hospital boards, with a small fund from which Christmas allowances can be made to hospitals which have insufficient free moneys for this purpose.

Mr. Iain Macleod

I am aware that many hospital management committees are having difficulty this year in keeping their expenditure within their approved estimates, but this should not prevent the provision of reasonable Christmas festivities which I have advised should, as far as possible, be met out of amenity funds. I have no doubt that regional hospital boards take into account the needs of particular hospitals when allocating their share of the income of the Central Hospital Endowments Fund.

Mr. Collins

Is the Minister aware that, because of increases in salaries and the cost of food and other items, many hospitals have no margin whatever, and that at least one regional hospital board is faced with a prospective deficit? If the right hon. Gentleman were supplied with details of those hospitals which cannot supply Christmas extras out of Exchequer funds, would he be able to do something about it?

Mr. Macleod

There is no new policy here. The instruction to which I have referred was issued in July, 1951, before the present Government came to power, and stated that free moneys were the appropriate source. I quite agree that hospital boards and management committees are having a good deal of difficulty this year, but I must agree with my predecessors that this is primarily a field for voluntary effort, for Leagues of Hospital Friends, and for free moneys.

Mr. G. R. Howard

Bearing in mind that there is considerable feeling on this matter, can my right hon. Friend say what percentage of money spent by regional hospital boards has been applied to administration and how much was spent on patients and beds?

Mr. Macleod

If my hon. Friend is referring to all sums, the administration under all headings, as I answered a week or so ago, comes to about 4 per cent., of which half of one per cent. is represented by central administration. The cost of administration of free moneys, I take it, would be negligible, because the same people would provide the service.

Mr. Hector Hughes

If any ex gratia payments are to be made for hospitals for Christmas festivities, will the Minister see that these benefits extend to Scottish hospitals as well as to those in England?

Mr. Macleod

My writ does not run north of the Tweed.

Mr. Collins

In cases where no Exchequer moneys are available for this purpose, is the Minister prepared to consider making an allocation?

Mr. Macleod

No. I am sure that that would be a wholly unsound principle on which to proceed.