asked the Minister for Health the total sums spent by (a) local health authorities and (b) the central authority on the tuberculosis services in each of the years 1926, 1936, 1946, 1956 and 1964.
Written Answers. - Expenditure on Tuberculosis Services.
71.
I indicated in my reply on 23rd October, 1963, to a similar question by the Deputy that the compilation of the figures sought in respect of early years would involve an amount of work and expense which, it was considered, would not be justified. For the same reason I propose in this instance to supply the information only in respect of the years ending 31st March, 1957 and 31st March, 1965.
The reply to the Deputy's question is accordingly as follows:
|
Year ended 31/3/57 |
Year ending 31/3/65 (estimate) |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
(a) Local Health Authority Expenditure (one-half of which is recouped from Voted Funds) |
2,666,000 |
1,596,000 |
|
(b) Central Authority Expenditure, comprising payments from the Hospitals Trust Fund for |
||
|
(1) deficits of voluntary tuberculosis hospitals and |
88,000 |
68,000 |
|
(2) capital grants to tuberculosis hospitals |
405,000 |
16,000 |
Disability benefits paid under the Social Welfare Acts to persons suffering from tuberculosis have not been included in the figures given above, as it is not possible for the Department of Social Welfare to identify from its records payments in respect of disability attributable to specific diseases.