§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate when the proposed circular on inter-agency co-operation dealing with resource transfer from health boards to local authorities will be published; and if he will make a statement as to its scope.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Government's proposals for resource transfer were issued for consultation on 13 January 1992. As well as continuing with shared financing we propose to introduce arrangements to enable boards to transfer resources to local authorities where it is proposed to transfer the responsibility for obtaining care for individuals or groups of people. These arrangements would include cash transfers where boards considered these appropriate. The "dowry" scheme, introduced in England in the 1980s, is an example of such a transfer.