§ 42. Mr. Fortasked the Minister of Health what percentage of total expenditure on the National Health Service is accounted for by the cost of administration.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodOf the total expenditure on the National Health Service, other than expenditure incurred by local health authorities, in 1952–53, administration costs of my Department and services rendered by other Departments represented about ½ per cent. and those of executive councils and certain other statutory bodies and of hospital authorities at central offices about 2¼ per cent. It is estimated that the addition of administration costs incurred by hospital authorities inside the hospitals, for which separate details are not available, might bring the total figure for administration costs to a little over 4 per cent.