§ Sir George YoungTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is intended to reimburse the preparatory cash at those general practitioner practices preparing to submit formal applications for fund-holding status from April 1991.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeYes. A preparatory allowance of up to £16,000 per practice will be available to practices which have reached agreement with their relevant regional health authority 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 scheme is being sought in the main estimate for hospital and community health services, family practitioner services (part) and other services, England (class XIII, vote 1). Pending that approval and the enactment of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill when formal applications for GP practice fund holding status130W can be made, urgent expenditure estimated at £1,500,000 will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.