§ Dr. FARQUHARSONasked the Minister of Health if the figures arrived at after deducting the Appropriation-in-Aid obtained from National Health Insurance Funds, £205,645, from the total establishment charges of the Ministry, £1,427,173, represent the cost to the Exchequer of exclusively local government services: and, if so, will he explain the cause of the increase from £302,356 in 1914–15 to £1,221,528 in 1922–23?
§ Sir A. MONDThe figure of £1,221,528 mentioned in the question represents the estimated net cost in England, not only of the administration of local government services, but also of central insurance administration and certain other services. The corresponding figure in the 1914–15 Estimates is £598,267. Included in the 1922–23 figure is provision of £464,500 for war bonus, an item for which no1574W corresponding provision had to be made in 1914–15. The balance is accounted for by the expansion necessitated by legislation since 1914–15 in the functions of the Departments now comprised in the Ministry of Health, especially in the direction of housing, maternity and child welfare, tuberculosis, venereal disease and other services. I may also observe that the sum estimated to be paid over to the Exchequer in fee stamps and revenue stamps in reimbursement of the cost of local audit and the inspection of alkali works, is £186,000 in 1922–23, as against £64,660 in 1914–15.