H—3l

DIVISION OF HOSPITALS (1) Receipts and Payments op Hospital Boards At the time of writing, complete returns for the year under review are not yet to hand, but the following estimate made from the data available gives a general picture of the source of finance and the main headings of expenditure. Receipts for both maintenance and capital purposes were, in round figures, as follows : From the Social Security Fund in respect of hospital and £ other benefits .. .. .. .. .. 2,600,000 Levies on local authorities .. .. .. .. 1,413,000 Subsidies from the Consolidated Fund .. .. 4,900,000 From other sources (recoveries on account of relief, including age-benefits, bequests, and miscellaneous receipts) . . . . .. .. .. '262,000 £9,175,000 Expenditure under its main headings was as follows : £ Debit balances, net, as at Ist April, 1948 .. .. .. 134,000 (а) Maintenance expenditure — £ (i) Hospital maintenance .. .. 6,900,000 (ii) Indoor and outdoor relief .. .. 225,000 (iii) Interest on loans .. 190,000 (iv) Administration .. .. .. 211,000 (v) Other items (District Nursing, grants to ambulance associations, subsidies to private hospitals, rents and rates, contributions to National Provident Fund, &c.) .. .. .. 429,000 7,955,000 (б) Capital expenditure (excluding loan works) — (i) Buildings and equipment .. .. 686,000 (ii) Loan repayments and Sinking Fund instalments . . .. .. 340,000 1,0J6,000 Credit balances, net, as at 31st March, 1949 .. .. 60,000 £9,175,000 When provision was made in the Finance Act (No. 2), 1946, limiting, at o*sd. per pound of the rateable capital value, the rate of levy by Hospital Boards upon their contributory local authorities, it was anticipated that although revaluations would later result in some increased contributions by the local authorities a much greater share of the cost would be borne by the Consolidated Fund.

The following table indicates the extent to which local authorities as a whole have been relieved during the two years the rate of levy has been " stabilized " :

29

Total Levies on Subsidy Payable Prom Local Authorities. Consolidated Fund. £ £ 1946-47 1,889,045 1,937,571 1947-48 1,347,441 3,321,378 1948-49 1,413,249 4,941,832