129(1)Section 256 (power of Primary Care Trusts to make payments towards expenditure on community services) is amended as follows.
(2)In subsection (1) for “A Primary Care Trust” substitute “The Board or a clinical commissioning group”.
(3)In subsection (3)—
(a)for “A Primary Care Trust” substitute “The Board or a clinical commissioning group”, and
(b)for “the Primary Care Trust” substitute “the Board or (as the case may be) the clinical commissioning group”.
(4)After subsection (5) insert—
“(5A)The Secretary of State may by directions to the Board specify the minimum amount which the Board must spend in a financial year in making payments under—
(a)this section;
(b)subsection (1) of this section;
(c)subsection (3) of this section.
(5B)The Secretary of State may by directions to the Board specify—
(a)a body or description of bodies to whom payments under subsection (1) or (3), or under either or both of those subsections, must be made by the Board in a financial year;
(b)functions or activities, or descriptions of functions or activities, in respect of which such payments must be made by the Board in a financial year;
(c)the minimum amount which the Board must spend in a financial year in making such payments—
(i)to a body or description of bodies specified in relation to the year under paragraph (a);
(ii)in respect of functions or activities, or descriptions of functions or activities, specified in relation to the year under paragraph (b);
(iii)to a body or description of bodies specified in relation to the year under paragraph (a) in respect of functions or activities or descriptions of functions or activities so specified under paragraph (b).”