XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 38

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1985

+THESE FUNCTIONS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S MEASURES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND IN MY VIEW AND THAT OF THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ABSOLVE ITSELF COMPLETELY FROM THESE RESPONSIBILITIES, HE EXPLAINED.

WITH REGARD TO STANDARD COST ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUBSIDISING THE VARIOUS TYPES OF SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY NON-PROFIT MAKING BODIES, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT THE STANDARD COST SYSTEM HAD BEEN INTRODUCED FOR A TOTAL OF EIGHT SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, BUT SOME DIFFICULTIES HAD BEEN ENCOUNTERED.

HE SAID THAT WHEN STANDARD COST WAS INTRODUCED IT WAS DECIDED TO BASE THE STAFF ELEMENT OF THE GRANTS ON THE MID-POINTS OF SALARY SCALES, BUT THIS HAD RESULTED IN OVER-LARGE SUBVENTIONS BEING PAID TO A NUMBER OF AGENCIES.

A WAY WAS BEING SOUGHT TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM, BUT HE FEARED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE TO BE AT THE EXPENSE OF FLEXIBILITY, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE PROPOSAL THAT AGENCIES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RAISE THEIR OWN FUNDS TO PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE THAN THE AGREED STANDARD, MR CHAMBERS SAID THIS WAS POSSIBLE UNDER THE PRESENT SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION SYSTEM.

HE SAID THAT THE UNFORTUNATE +SEE-SAW+ EFFECT, WHICH HAD RESULTED IN MONEY RAISED BY THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES BEING DEDUCTED FROM THE IR SUBVENTIONS WAS ABOLISHED SOME YEARS AGO.

BUT HE MAINTAINED THAT THE WHOLE QUESTION OF SUBVENTION ARRANGEMENTS WAS CLEARLY A SUBJECT WHICH NEEDED FURTHER STUDY,

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