HC Deb 24 July 1979 vol 971 cc205-6W
Mr. Race

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will publish the financial targets for savings in each regional and area health authority which are consequent upon the Government's decision not to fund £22 million of the Clegg pay awards for ancillary staff and ambulancemen;

(2) whether regional and area health authorities will have to find £22 million from their existing financial resources in the current year in order to meet the Clegg increases in ancillary staffs and ambulancemen's pay, which is not wholly found from central Government resources.

Dr. Vaughan

The Government have agreed to continue the arrangements instituted by the previous Administration for adjustment of the cash limits of health authorities in the current financial year. Accordingly health authorities have been notified that their cash limits will be adjusted for the excess cost of approved pay settlements, except that they will be required to absorb the first £23.4 million—England, 1979–80, forecast out-turn prices—of any excess. This is the same figure as the previous Administration announced.

Regional health authorities and boards of governors of postgraduate hospitals have been informed of their share of the total, and the figures for regional health authorities are set out in the table below. It is for regional health authorities, who make the allocation to area health authorities, to decide what proportion is appropriate to each area.

The comparabilities commission under Professor Clegg has not yet reported on any National Health Service pay group. The arrangements described above relate to all National Health Service pay settlements in 1979–80.

1979–80 REVENUE CASH LIMITS-AMOUNT OF CASH OF 1979 PAY AWARDS TO BE ABSORBED BY HEALTH AUTHORITIES

Regional Health Authorities and Amount to be absorbed £000
1. Northern … … … 1,538
2. Yorkshire … … … 1,725
3. Trent … … … 2,001
4. E. Anglian … … … 814
5. N.W. Thames … … … 1,898
6. N.E. Thames … … … 2,146
7. S.E. Thames … … … 2,006
8. S.W. Thames … … … 1,557
9. Wessex … … … 1,199
10. Oxford … … … 948
11. South Western … … … 1,474
12. West Midlands … … … 2,321
13. Mersey … … … 1,284
14. North Western … … … 2,099
Total 23,010
Boards of Governors 390
Grand Total 23,400