§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why he has budgeted 403W for a decrease in real terms on expenditure on the personal social services in 1980–81 and 1981–82, despite the fact that total expenditure on health and personal social services will continue to rise in those years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th February 1978; Vol. 945, c. 190], gave the following information:
The total estimate of expenditure on personal social services given in my earlier reply included only the capital already allocated for specific projects out of the pool of expenditure available for both health and personal social services.—[Vol. 943, c. 156.] The precise allocation of capital expenditure between the services has not yet been determined for later years of the public expenditure survey.
In later reviews of the capital programme, we intend at least to maintain and if possible to increase the level of investment in personal social services over the period 1981–82.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the expenditure per head of population on the personal social services in 1976–77 and what is the estimate for 1977–78.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th February 1978; Vol. 945, c. 190], gave the following reply:
The information is as follows:
Year Current Capital 1976–77 … … £18.50 £1.91 1977–78 … … £21.06 £2.08