§ 22. Mr Fisherasked the Minister of Health if he will state the cost of running National Health Service hospitals 29 for the year 1966; and how this compares with expenditure under this heading for the years 1965 and 1964, respectively.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThe cost is estimated at £652 million in England and Wales for 1966–67, compared with £600 million in 1965–66 and £544 million in 1964–65.
§ Mr. FisherIn view of this rising trend in the cost of the hospital service, could the right hon. Gentleman say what his plans are to contain this rise in future? Would he also comment on an estimate that I have seen; that the cost of the service this year is likely to exceed £900 million?
§ Mr. RobinsonI think that the hon. Gentleman had better await the publication of the Estimates for this year. The real development of the hospital service has been at the rate of 2¾ per cent. per annum in the last two years, compared with 2 per cent. in 1964–65 over the previous year, allowing for a non-recurring amount of £4 million. This is the containment—if the hon. Gentleman prefers to use that phrase—of the development of the hospital service.
§ Mr. BraineIs the Minister aware that the cost of treatment in some of our newest hospitals is estimated to be £70 a week as compared with £30 a week in some of our older hospitals? As a saving of 1 per cent. in hospital expenditure would amount to £8 million a year, would he tell the House what he is doing to intensify management efficiency studies to see if economies can be brought about?
§ Mr. RobinsonWe are constantly endeavouring to achieve greater efficiency in the hospital service and work study is expanding all the time.