§ Mr. Bill WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is intended to reimburse the preparatory costs of those general practitioner practices preparing to submit formal applications for fund-holding status from April 1991.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythYes. A preparatory allowance of up to £16,000 per practice will be available to practices which have reached agreement with their relevant health board to undertake preparatory work for fund holding. The allowance will be used to reimburse the costs of additional work which practices will need to complete in order to be in a position to take on fund-holding status from 1 April 1991. Parliamentary approval to this new service is being sought in the main estimate for hospital and community health services, family practitioner services (part) and other health services, Scotland—class XV, vote 27. Pending that approval and the enactment of 125W the National Health Service and Community Care Bill when formal applications for GP practice fund-holding status can be made, urgent expenditure estimated at £160,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.