asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the terms of the allocation of £200,000 for upgrading and decoration of the wards at Maudsley hospital; and if this sum will be made available annually.

The Maudsley hospital is managed by a postgraduate special health authority funded directly by the Department. In light of particular pressures associated with delay in the start of construction of replacement wards, on which work has now begun at a cost of some £3 million, it was possible to allocate an additional £100,000 to effect limited upgrading last year. I understand a similar sum will be found from the authority's "small schemes allocation" this year. Routine maintenance and redecoration are the responsibility of health authorities and must be budgeted within allocated resources.