§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the recent substantial damages awarded against Essex area health authority, he will consider methods of meeting such awards by some form of central payment additional to the normal budget of the health authority.
§ Dr. Vaughan[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1981, c. 324]: No. I should expect health authorities to be able to budget for such contingencies within their planned expenditure. Central funding of such awards would mean holding back health authorities' own resources, and there is no general support for this.