§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he envisages taking steps as health service reorganisation becomes accepted to break down
514WAirways over the years 1976–77 to 1980–81 is summarised in the following table. The total of public dividend capital at present invested in British Airways is £180 million. The dividend payments are on average required to equal interest payments on NLF loans. This has not been possible in 1979–80 and 1980–81. Outstanding loans from the National Loans Fund amounted at 31 March 1981 to £34 million. British Airways has borrowed a further £13 million in the current financial year. Loans from the fund are at a slightly lower rate of interest than is normally available to private sector borrowers from commercial United Kingdom lenders.
The majority of British Airways' external finance over the last five years has been in the form of loans from the private sector. These have not involved direct payments of public money, but the loans have been guaranteed by the Treasury. This increases BA's borrowing capacity and enables the airline to secure relatively attractive rates of interest. The Treasury also guarantees lease payments due on lease finance arranged by BA.
British Airways had access to the public sector exchange cover scheme until 1981 when that scheme closed, which at no extra cost covered the airline against exchange rate movements. BA benefits from the substantial annual funding of the Concorde support programme by the British and French Governments. In addition BA has received about £1 million in regional development grants over the 5-year period.
British Airways' borrowings, which currently approach £1 billion and pdc receipts have for the most part been required to meet its general capital needs and have not been earmarked for particular projects. A total of £53 million of its external finance requirements for 1981–82 is specifically to fund its redundancy programme and is due to be repaid in 1982–83.
the barriers between the National Health Service and the personal social services and to obtain greater co-operation between health services and local authorities.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe value of effective collaboration has repeatedly been drawn to the attention of authorities, for example in "Care in Action", the handbook issued last year setting out policies and priorities 515W for the health and personal social services in England. In addition, we have issued a circular on this subject dealing with the implications arising from the restructuring of the National Health Service. A copy of the circular (HN(82)9) has been placed in the Library of the House. In the longer term, collaboration would be further improved as a result of consideration of the various suggestions set out in the consultative document, "Care in the Community" for removing obstacles to the movement of patients and resources from hospital to community care. We are presently considering the response to that document.