I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 8, 37 and 47 together.
In accordance with the undertakings I have given in relation to health services in 1991, the non-capital allocations of health boards will be adjusted to take account of approved increases in expenditure, including pay, increases in the rates of allowances and certain services-related items.
Health boards are now generally aware of the order of these adjustments. Despite this it is not possible at this stage to project what overrun, if any, may occur in the Health Estimate in 1991. The budgetary position under each board tends to vary from time to time throughout the year. The information available to my Department indicates that a number of boards are having to take corrective action in order to ensure that their overall expenditure will not exceed their revised allocations.
As the Deputy will be aware, all agencies were notified in their letter of allocation for 1991 that expenditure must be contained within the limits of the allocation, as revised from time to time throughout the year. Any expenditure excess arising in 1991 will be a charge against the 1992 allocation. This position has been reinforced in meetings with the agencies throughout the year and I have again drawn specific attention to the difficulties which will arise for any agency carrying a deficit into next year. Indeed, I have met with the chief executive officers of health boards earlier today to emphasise the vital importance of achieving agreed service targets within the budgetary limits.
The cash which is transferred to health boards on an ongoing basis is tailored, with the agreed level of bank overdraft, to match the approved level of non-capital expenditure. This level of expenditure is geared to enable boards to deliver the approved 1990 level of service in 1991.