National Health Service Act 1977

99 Regulation of financial arrangements

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide, in the case of all or any of the following bodies—

(a) Regional Health Authorities,

(b) Area Health Authorities,

(c) special health authorities,

(d) Family Practitioner Committees,

(e) Community Health Councils, and

(f) the Dental Estimates Board,

for restricting the making of payments by or on behalf of the body otherwise than on such authorisation and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the regulations.

(2) Such provision may be made subject to such exceptions as may be so specified, and those regulations may contain such other provisions as to the making and carrying out by all or any of those bodies of such arrangements with respect to financial matters as the Secretary of State thinks necessary for the purpose of securing that the affairs of such bodies are conducted, so far as reasonably practicable, in such manner as to prevent financial loss and to ensure and maintain efficiency.

(3) The Secretary of State may give directions to any of those bodies as to any matter with respect to which those regulations may be made; and those directions may be specific in character and shall be—

(a) such as appear to him requisite to secure that the affairs of the body are conducted in such a manner as is mentioned in subsection (2) above,

(b) without prejudice to the operation of any such regulations,

and shall be complied with by the body to whom they are given.