§ Mr. DouglasTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the policy adopted by his Department to ensure that funds released by the closure or contraction of hospitals for the mentally handicapped are wholly and speedily devoted to alternative forms of care.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 7 May 1991]: On 7 March I announced a bridging finance scheme which is designed to do just that. The scheme makes £15 million available to health boards to meet the increased costs of maintaining hospital services while community support services are being developed.