asked the Minister for Health the percentage of current public health expenditure devoted to administration in each of the last three years.

Administration costs represented the following percentages of total health costs for the years mentioned:

In arriving at these percentages the term "administration" has been taken as applying to the personnel of the Department of Health, management personnel and their immediate support staff at health agency level and appropriate overheads.

Would there be included in that figure administration in the health boards?

Yes. In 1977, in money terms, the total cost was £6 million.