§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the statutory powers under which he is authorised to make payments of any kind to non-Government bodies, including individuals, the total amount paid under each such statutory power in 1982–83 and the number of staff involved in making such payments.
§ Mr. NewtonPayments falling within the terms of this question are made under a very wide variety of statutory powers for many diverse purposes including social security benefits; provision of health services and some aspects of local authority services; support of a range of non-Departmental statutory bodies exercising national responsibilities; the conduct of research; support for voluntary organisations; and purchase of goods and services for the NHS and the Department itself. It would be disproportionately costly to provide information on all these in the form requested, but I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the Supply Estimates for 1983–84; Class XI and XII (HC 237) and to chapters 2.11 and 2.12 of the public expenditure White Paper published in February (Cmnd. 8789) which provide details of the expenditure for which we are responsible.