(1)Section 97 of the 1977 Act (means of meeting expenditure of Health Authorities etc out of public funds) is amended as follows.
(2)Before subsection (1) there is inserted—
“(A1)It is the duty of the Secretary of State to pay in respect of each financial year to each Strategic Health Authority sums not exceeding the amount allotted for that year by the Secretary of State to the Authority towards meeting the expenditure of the Authority which is attributable to the performance by the Authority of their functions in that year.”
(3)In subsection (3C), after “any year” there is inserted “to a Strategic Health Authority under subsection (A1) above or”.
(4)In subsection (3D), after “given to” there is inserted “the Strategic Health Authority or”.
(5)In subsection (3F), after “any year to” there is inserted “a Strategic Health Authority or”.
(6)In subsection (5), after “allotted to a” there is inserted “Strategic Health Authority,”.
(7)In subsection (6)—
(a)after “directions to a” there is inserted “Strategic Health Authority,”,
(b)at the end of paragraph (a) there is inserted “or”, and
(c)paragraphs (bb) and (c) are omitted.
(8)Subsection (8) is omitted.
(9)In subsection (9), after “paid to” there is inserted “Strategic Health Authorities,”.