§ 20. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that pay-beds at the General Hospital, Cheltenham, which receives constituents of the hon. Member for South Worcestershire as patients, have increased in charge since 20th July from £5 2s. per day to £5 13s. per day, or £35 14s. per week to £39 11s. per week; and, as this is prima facie contravention of the standstill conditions for prices and incomes, outlined on 20th July, what action he proposes to take in the matter.
§ 15. Sir E. Erringtonasked the Minister of Health why, in spite of the prices and incomes standstill, the charge for a private room at the Aldershot General Hospital has increased from £45 10s. to £57 1s. per week.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI would refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 14th November.—[Vol. 736, c. 8.]
§ Sir G. NabarroCan the right hon. Gentleman tell the House why a nationalised service has been allowed to raise its prices for private beds in hospitals by such a wide margin, whereas charges in a private nursing home or hospital have been absolutely frozen? Is there any equity in this matter?
§ Mr. RobinsonI can assure the hon. Gentleman that my statutory duty under Section 5 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, is to ensure that charges made to private patients cover the full costs of the accommodation and service provided, and the regulations made under the Act require the rates to be revised annually, each October.
§ Mr. MurrayIs my right hon. Friend aware that he could save himself a lot of trouble about being asked this sort of question if beds were based on need and not payment?
§ Mr. RobinsonMy hon. Friend will know that pay beds have been subject to review, the results of which I am at the moment considering with a view to equalising the pressure on pay beds and non-pay beds.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth DunwoodyWould my right hon. Friend not agree that one of 936 the difficulties we have in the service is that we still provide private beds and that some of us on this side of the House would like to see the service do away with them?
§ Mr. RobinsonI am not proposing to do away with pay beds, but, as I have said, I am reviewing the whole position and hope to announce the results fairly soon.
§ Mr. DeanDoes the right hon. Gentleman not recognise the contradiction in his earlier answer? Is he not aware that when it suits the Government they have caused employers to break their contracts?
§ Mr. RobinsonI received advice that, in view of the provisions of the Section, I have mentioned, and in the knowledge of what an appropriate charge should be, it was not possible for me, without risk of legal challenge, to make regulations postponing the implementation of the revised charges.
§ Sir G. NabarroIn view of the unsatisfactory Ministerial reply, I beg leave to give notice that I will raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest moment.