§ Mr. Hargreavesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has plans to ensure that those district health authorities facing a proportionately higher rates bill than the percentage increase in resources can meet their obligations without transferring funds from other cost centres.
§ Mr. HayhoeHealth authorities are expected to meet pay and price increases and develop services from within the total resources allocated to them by the Government and their cost improvement programmes.
§ Mr. Hargreavesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount paid in lieu of rates for hospital and health centre buildings by the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley district health authority for each of the past three years; and what was the percentage change over the period.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe annual accounts of the health authority show expenditure on rates as follows:
£ 1982–83 391,338 1983–84 418,700 1984–85 489,615 The figures reflect an increase of 25.1 per cent. (15 per cent. in real terms) over the period.