§ Mr. Bill WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional financial resources he has made available to health boards in Scotland in 1989–90 to meet the cost of implementing the proposals outlined in the White Paper "Working for Patients", Cm 555.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythSome of the resources already allocated to boards this year are being spent on initiatives such as the development of information technology systems, on which implementation of the White Paper will build. However a further £3.95 million is to be made available to health boards in 1989–90 to help them meet the 511W additional costs this year of taking forward the proposals in the White Paper. The resources will cover development work by health boards in the following areas: hospital contracts, self-governing hospitals, and revised accounting arrangements; information systems and resources management; development of capital asset registers; development of GP practice budgets; medical audit; and pilot work on prescribing budgets. The Department will be advising health boards of the individual amounts they will each receive.