HC Deb 31 January 1968 vol 757 c360W
Sir J. Vaughan-Morgan

asked the Minister of Health how much of the saving of £29 million in health and welfare services will be accounted for by reductions in the provision for the elderly.

Mr. Holland

asked the Minister of Health how much of the saving of £29 million in the health and welfare services will be accounted for by cutting down on the provision for the physically handicapped.

Mr. Fortescue

asked the Minister of Health how much of the saving of £29 million in the health and welfare services will be accounted for by cutting down on the provision for the mentally handicapped.

Mr. Dean

asked the Minister of Health if he will give details of £29 million to be saved in 1968–69 in health and welfare programmes.

Mr. Maurice Macmillan

asked the Minister of Health when he will be in a position to give full details showing how the economies announced on 16th January will affect health and welfare programmes.

Mr. K. Robinson

As regards the details of the £29 million I would refer the hon. Members to the reply given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Sharples). The nature of the economies has already been indicated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. The programme of hospital building will go ahead as planned. As to the reduction by an amount averaging £5 million a year in the planned growth of local authority health and welfare capital expenditure, I am asking local authorities to let me know which of their capital projects they wish to be considered for loan sanction within the revised totals. In general I expect provision for the elderly, the physically handicapped and the mentally handicapped to continued at a level not lower than that achieved to date.—[Vol. 757, c.267.]