§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what calculations he has made concerning the approxim-ate overall percentage of increased costs between the financial years 1988–89 and 1989–90 borne by district health authorities in respect of the commodities, services, and other costs, adjusted by weight of expenditure; if he will publish such calculations; and what changes in grant calculations he expects to make in respect of their costs for the financial year 1990–91.
§ Mr. FreemanPrice increases experienced by health authorities are measured using the Health Service prices index. Our estimate is that the rise in the index this year over 1988–89 will be about 5.7 per cent.
Health authority allocations for 1990–91 will be announced later this year after decisions on public expenditure for next year have been made.