§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the expenditure by the East Anglian Regional Health Authority of 4.17 per cent. of its total National Health Service revenue on headquarters administration is necessary, in view of the fact that all other regions spend considerably less for this purpose.
§ Dr. OwenThe figure of 4.17 per cent. covers headquarters administration expenditure in 1974–75 at regional and area level, and includes district management teams. Allocations to the region in 1975–76 and 1976–77 have increased at more than average rates, but I under-590W stand that there has been only a marginal increase in headquarters administration expenditure, so it represents a lower percentage of the larger total. The regional health authority has been investigating its apparently high administration costs and finds that when account is also taken of administrative and clerical staff services outside the various headquarters, the East Anglian percentage is very close to the average for the country. It is conscious of the need to keep administration expenditure as low as possible, and has been asked to carry out a review of management costs with this in mind.