HC Deb 24 February 1983 vol 37 cc508-9W
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) with reference to the answer of 3 February, Official Report, c. 193–196, if he will itemise the budgeted cost for each project approved under the support financing scheme in 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83, sub-totalled by health board area, indicating the split between capital and revenue expenditure and showing in each case the percentage allocation of costs between health boards and local authorities, the agreed time scale for revenue funding and the agreed tapering arrangements for the transfer of financial responsibility;

(2) what consultations have taken place with organisations outwith his Department on the proposals in clause 2 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Bill [Lords] before and after the Bill's publication;

(3) whether he will consult the COSLA housing committee and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations on the implications of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Bill [Lords];

(4) whether he will issue a consultative document equivalent to "Care in the Community", published in 1981 by the Department of Health and Social Security;

(5) whether he will list the representations made to him since July 1981 by organisations and institutions about the general issue of the transfer of resources from health to community services in Scotland;

(6) whether any special arrangements will be required to allow housing associations to take advantage of the extension of the support financing scheme proposed in clause 2 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Bill [Lords];

(7) whether he is taking account of the additional possibilities open to housing associations under clause 2 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Bill [Lords], in calculating the financial allocations to the Housing Corporation for 1983–84 and succeeding years;

(8) whether he proposes to make funds available directly or indirectly to voluntary organisations to enable them to contribute the balance of at least 40 per cent. in the first year to cover their contribution to support finance projects under the proposed extension to the scheme;

(9) what financial provision he is making for the support financing scheme in Scotland in 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86; and if he will also express these figures on a per capita basis;

(10) what requirements are laid upon health boards to estimate the savings that are expected to accrue from the implementation of projects they sponsor under the support financing scheme and the time scale for such savings to be realised;

(11) what steps he takes to monitor the savings that accrue to the National Health Service from projects set up under the support financing scheme;

(12) what savings have accrued to date from the projects already in operation under the support financing scheme;

(13) whether the savings accruing to health boards in Scotland as a result of the transfer of responsibilities for projects under the support financing scheme will be used directly to offset the cost of the scheme.

Mr. John MacKay

I shall write to my hon. Friend in the next few days.