§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the arrangements used by his 252W Department to monitor expenditure by health authorities on payment to outside contractors for support services and for contractual arrangements for patient care.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergHealth authorities' accounts for each financial year show both payments for contracting out support services and for contractual arrangements for patient care. There is also a statistical return of contractual beds. I shall shortly be sending guidance to health authorities on contracting out catering and domestic services and will be monitoring the effect of this.