§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider changing the regulations which currently prevent public donations being utilised to cover the cost of specialist nursing staff.
§ Mr. MoyleThere are no regulations which prevent public donations being used to cover the cost of specialist nursing staff. The Department has advised health authorities in circular HM(69)58 that before accepting a gift to meet capital expenditure they should satisfy themselves that any consequential running costs can be met without distorting priorities. There is no reason in principle why donors should not meet this problem by providing the means to meet future running costs, including staff costs, although in practice the sums involved may be too great. There are also the obvious problems of long-term commitment to find the money year by year.