asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the £5·2 million set up by Her Majesty's Government in 1976 to provide interim arrangements for abnormal offenders by area health authorities in 1976–77 was spent on such arrangements and how much was redirected to other items.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the special allocations to regional health authorities to assist them in meeting the running costs of regional secure psychiatric units when these are set up and to meet any additional costs which might be involved in making interim arrangements pending the setting up of permanent arrangements. My Department is in the course of collecting information about what proportions of the special allocations were devoted in 1976–77 to the provision of secure psychiatric facilities. I will publish relevant information in the Official Report as soon as it is available.