§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the extra funding for social services for the current financial year under the recently announced extra funding proposal to avoid a winter crisis will be available only if it is authorised by individual health authorities. [16447]
§ Mr. MilburnYes. Those additional resources for the National Health Service made available to improve services this winter have been allocated to health authorities. It has been the responsibility of individual health authorities, liaising with interested parties in their area, including local authority social services departments, to draw up plans for the use of the resources and agree them with regional offices of the National Health Service Executive. Guidance to health authorities given in Executive Letter EL(97)64, copies of which are available in the Library, indicated that where the identified service need was for social care, funds should be transferred to local authorities using powers under Section 28A of the National Health Service Act 1977.