asked the Minister for Health if he will give particulars of the total expenditure from (a) central and (b) local funds in respect of the anti-tuberculosis campaign for (i) capital and (ii) current purposes, including allowances, from the enactment of the Health Services (Financial Provisions) Act, 1947, to the nearest available date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Expenditure on Anti-Tuberculosis Campaign.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the table:—
EXPENDITURE on Tuberculosis Services in the years 1948-49 to 1956-57 inclusive.
|
Local Funds |
Central Funds |
Hospitals' Trust Fund |
Total |
|
|
£000 |
£000 |
£000 |
£000 |
|
|
Current Account: |
||||
|
(1) Local authority services |
8,983 (a) |
12,289(a) |
— |
21,272 |
|
(2) Voluntary hospitals |
— |
— |
477 (b) |
477 |
|
(3) Social Welfare Sickness Benefit |
— |
3,037 (c) |
— |
3,037 |
|
Capital Account |
70 (d) |
— |
9,290 (e) |
9,360 |
|
TOTAL |
9,053 |
15,326 |
9,767 |
34,146 |
(a) These figures represent the expenditure to which the Health Services (Financial Provisions) Act, 1947, applies. In addition there has been some expenditure, e.g., on loan charges, which does not rank for health grant. The amount involved, however, is relatively small.
In the case of any individual health authority, the division of the expenditure on tuberculosis services, to which the Health Services (Financial Provisions) Act, 1947 applies between central and local funds in the years up to and including 1952-53 was determined by the relative levels of expenditure on all health services in that year and in the standard year. For the year 1953-54 and from then onwards when the total expenditure of every health authority exceeded twice the expenditure in the standard year, the expenditure on tuberculosis services has been divided equally between central and local funds.
(b) This represents the amount paid on foot of deficits in the special voluntary hospitals dealing solely with tuberculosis. There were deficits payable in respect of other hospitals which had tuberculosis sections but it has not been possible to determine how much of the deficits of these hospitals is attributable to the tuberculosis beds.
(c) This represents the estimated expenditure of the Department of Social Welfare on sickness, etc. benefits paid to insured persons suffering from tuberculosis. An accurate figure could be obtained only by an expenditure of time and labour which would not be justified.
(d) This represents authorised borrowings by health authorities from the Local Loans Fund and from their treasurers.
(e) This represents the total capital expenditure from the Hospitals' Trust Fund in respect of tuberculosis hospitals. During the years 1953-54 to 1956-57 inclusive that Fund received subventions from the Exchequer amounting to £6,780,000 but such subventions were applied in respect of the expenditure from the Fund generally and were not allocated to specific purposes.