§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied that the existing system of financing health and social services boards provides sufficient control in the general public interest over expenditure, particularly in the last three months of each financial year when large sums are expended on the purchase of goods and equipment with the apparent intention of using up financial resources which would otherwise be surrendered at 31st March each year.
622W
§ Mr. CarterI am satisfied that adequate controls over expenditure are in operation. Payments for goods and equipment tend to be concentrated in the latter months of the financial year because of the interval between placing orders and receiving delivery. This concentration increases when, as has occurred this year, shortfall is diverted from other programmes to health and personal social services, or is reallocated within the services, for spending on goods and equipment within the year.
Any expenditure resulting from shortfall is directed only to projects that are justifiable priorities in their own right.