§ Mr. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the amount of money per week allocated for food for each patient in (a) general and (b) psychiatric hospitals.
§ Mr. Harry EwingThere is no centrally determined allocation for catering for patients in Health Service hospitals. Heath boards are free to decide their catering budgets from within their overall revenue allocation. In 1976–77, the latest year for which figures are available, the average sum spent on provisions at psychiatric hospitals was £4.68 per patient week and at all hospitals other than psychiatric £5.37 per week.