§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the difference in the formula for allocation of resources for the National Health Service in rural areas between his Department and the Scottish Office; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe allocation of resources for the hospital and community health services to regional health authorities in England is based upon the formula recommended in the report of the resource allocation working party published in 1976. A copy of the report is in the Library. Regional health authorities are responsible for allocations to English health districts. The allocation of resources to family practitioner committees for their administrative functions in 1985–86 was based on their level of expenditure before becoming administratively independent of district health authorities on 1 April 1985.
76Win its published reports of these surveys. The main purpose of the convention is to provide a more accurate indication of the budgetting behaviour of families. My hon. Friend may wish to refer to note 15A of annex A to the report of the family expenditure survey in 1981 which explains the convention more fully.
The table shows the changes in the estimated numbers of low-income families in 1981 if the income of those sick or unemployed for less than three months at the time of the survey is not equated to their normal income in work.
The allocation of resources for the National Health Service in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.