asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the percentage growth in real terms of the funding of each regional health authority for each year since 1974.

I assume that "growth in real terms" means growth in resources over and above covering the costs of pay and price increses. Table 1 attached has been compiled from the annual financial statements submitted by health authorities. The increases in revenue expenditure have been corrected to remove the effects of pay and price increases. National average increases in pay and prices have been used. Figures reflecting the pay and price increases experienced by individual regions could only be calculated at disproportionate cost. The growth rates are therefore approximate."Growth in real terms" might mean growth in resources compared with the RPI which would produce much higher figures. [See table 2].