§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the effects of the White Paper on public expenditure on the psychiatric hospital building programme in the Greater London area between the present and 1979 to 1981.
§ Mr. MoyleThe capital spending assumptions given to the Thames regional health authorities for 1978–79 and 1979–80 are given below together with details of the 1977–78 capital cash limits. The figures for the later years are subject to review in the light of future Government expenditure decisions. The sums to be allocated to mental illness services in the Greater London area will depend on decisions not yet taken by regional and area health authorities and I regret that I am not in a position to make the comparative assessment requested. In planning their services I expect authorities to take account of national guidance which emphasises the need to give priority to services for the mentally ill.
Following are the figures: