I move:—
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £27,000 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1948, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of the Minister for Health, and certain Services administered by that Office, including Grants to Local Authorities, miscellaneous Grants and Grants-in-Aid, and certain Charges connected with Hospitals.
The original net Estimate for this service was £616,350 and it is anticipated that, after making allowance for savings amounting to £2,040 on certain items of the Vote, the Charges which will come in course of payment within the year will, for reasons which I shall presently explain in rather more detail, amount to £643,350. It is accordingly necessary to seek a supplementary grant of £27,000. The sub-heads under which this Vote will be accounted for are: Sub-head E—expenses in connection with international and other congresses, original estimate £5, revised estimate £550, additional sum required £545; sub-head J (1)—prevention and treatment of tuberculosis, original provision £299,250, estimated expenditure £327,000, additional sum required £27,750; sub-head J (3)—expenses in connection with the National Health Council, etc.—revised estimate, £100. The additional sum required is £100, as this is a new item. Sub-head J (4)—National Blood Transfusion Service—this is a token payment of £10. Sub-head N—Appropriations-in-Aid: the original provision was for £1,555; the estimated receipts are £920 so that there is an estimated deficit of £635. If the House desires, I shall go into more detail on these sub-heads.
