Mr. David Hootasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the Wirral area health authority has to pay 2p per litre more for its oil than other area health authorities within the region; and what steps he will take to make up the deficiency in funding which this extra charge is causing.
§ Sir George YoungThe higher cost of the supply of oil to the Wirral area health authority is a direct result of the lack of competition when tenders were invited last summer. However, as a result of movements in relative prices since then the difference currently stands at 0.28p per litre greater than the best price in the remainder of the region.
The Department sets the cash limits of regional health authorities and it is for regions to set the cash limits of area health authorities.
PERINATAL MORTALITY RATES: SOCIAL CLASS (LEGITIMATE SINGLE BIRTHS ONLY) 1950, 1973 AND 1978 England and Wales Percentage decrease Social Class 1950 1973 1978 1950–73 1950–78 1973–78 I. Professional … 25.4 13.9 10.7 45 58 23 II. Managerial … 30.4 15.6 11.0 49 64 29 III. Skilled … 33.6 19.2 13.8 43 59 28 Non-manual … 17.3 12.7 27 Manual … 19.7 14.1 28 IV. Semi-skilled … 36.9 21.8 15.4 41 58 29 V. Unskilled … 40.4 26.8 19.3 34 52 28 All social classes* … 34.9† 18.9 13.7 46 61 28 * Includes Armed Forces, students etc. † Estimated.