§ 131. Mr. Marquandasked the Minister of Health for which years since 1950 circulars were sent to regional hospital boards advising them to set aside, for expenditure upon mental health services, a minimum proportion of their capital allocations; what those percentages were for each year; and what was the total 195W capital allocation to the hospital service in each of those years.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAnnual circulars from 1950 onwards about hospital capital programmes have stressed the need to make appropriate provision for mental health but none of them has mentioned a specific percentage. The figures showing total capital allocations to the hospital service annually since 1950 and the proportionate value of mental health projects included in the programmes of regional and teaching hospital boards or financed outside their programmes, are as follows:
Total capital allocations£ million Proportionate value of mental health projects Per cent. 1950–51 … 9.5 15 1951–52 … 90 21 1952–53 … 7.9 18 1953–54 … 8.0 18 1954–55 … 10.0 Hospital board programmes not yet available but 13.5 percent. of allocation set aside centrally for mental health projects. This is in addition to the provision that will be made by hospital boards.