§ Mr. Ennalsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of the publication and distribution of "Care in Action" and why, having regard to the practice of previous Secretaries of State, he has not given clear advice on priorities in health care expenditure.
§ Mr. Patrick Jenkin"Care in Action" was published and put on sale by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The cost to my Department of purchasing and distributing copies was £37,000. Her Majesty's Stationery Office costs for publishing and distributing copies for sale will be covered in the normal way from proceeds.
The handbook sets out the main policies and priorities which I expect to guide health authorities and social services committees in their work, but recognises that decisions affecting a particular locality, and the way to achieve these, are best made locally. The priorities in the handbook in general follow those of previous Secretaries of State, but I did not consider that authorities would find helpful the illustrative projections of actual expenditure on particular services which appeared, for instance, in "The Way Forward".