§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to area health boards and water authorities in Scotland over fluoridation of public water supplies in the light of the first report from the Expenditure Committee 1976–77, Preventive Medicine, and of his exhortations to local authorities on expenditure levels and the allocation of resources to area health boards.
§ Mr. Harry EwingNone. The Government's support for fluoridation was reaffirmed in the White Paper on Prevention and Health "published on 15th December 1977 in response to the Expenditure Committee's Report. Guidance to health boards and water authorities—regional and islands councils—is contained in circulars issued in October 1976 which recommends that health boards should take steps to achieve the progressive fluoridation of water supplies in their areas and that water authorities should co-operate to that end. Water804W authorities are able to recoup the full cost of fluoridation schemes from the health board(s)concerned.