§ 45. Miss Baconasked the Minister of Health the capital allocation for Leeds region in the coming financial year; and how this compares with the current year.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe basic allocation in each year is £413,000. In addition, the board have had a supplementary allocation this year of £40,000 for works to save running costs; and some £97,000 is likely to be spent this year, and £90,000 next year, on schemes financed from central funds.
§ Miss BaconIs the Minister aware that this amount is totally inadequate for the needs of the area, particularly in regard to mental hospitals? Can he give us some indication of the Government's intentions in this respect? Is he aware that recently the Leeds City Council had a cut in their housing programme from 3,000 to roughly 2,000, and that one reason given was that more was to be spent on schools and hospitals? Do I understand that now we are to get neither houses nor hospitals?
§ Mr. MacleodThe housing programme is not a matter for me. Perhaps the hon. Lady would like to draw my attention to the statement to which she has referred, as I have never heard of it.