§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for. Scotland (1) if he will publish details of total health board expenditure on the promotion of the recent campaign for water fluoridation in the Strathclyde regional council area; if he will break this figure down by health board; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will publish details of the level of annual health board expenditure on promoting the case for the fluoridation of water in each of the last 15 years; if he will break these figures down for each of the Strathclyde region health board areas; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what was the cost to health boards in the Strathclyde regional council area of the publicity and lobbying campaign in favour of the fluoridation of water which was undertaken on their behalf by Michael Kelly Associates; if he will break this information down by health board; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 9 July 1993]: Total health board expenditure, exclusive of VAT, on the promotion of 251W the recent campaign for water fluoridation in the Strathclyde regional council area was some £108,000. Expenditure by individual health boards was as follows:
£ Argyll and Clyde 18,000 Ayrshire and Arran 17,000 Greater Glasgow 50,000 Lanarkshire 23,000 The total expenditure included £26,900 paid to Michael Kelly Associates; the breakdown of this expenditure by health board is as follows:
£ Argyll and Clyde 2,600 Ayrshire and Arran 2,200 Greater Glasgow 18,900 Lanarkshire 3,200 No other significant expenditure was incurred by the health boards on promoting the case for the fluoridation of water in Strathclyde during the last 15 years.
It is for health boards to decide their own priorities for health promotion within the resources they receive. Expenditure on the promotion of water fluoridation should be viewed in the context of the potential improvements in dental health and the consequent savings in the cost to the NHS and patients of dental treatment.