§ 21. Mr. Huntasked the Minister of Health what is the estimated loss of revenue to the National Health Service following the recent reduction in the number of pay beds.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) on 30th January.—[Vol. 757, c. 262–3.]
§ Mr. HuntIs the Minister aware that that told us nothing? Why is he being so coy about these figures'? Would he care to comment on the estimate that his recent decision on pay beds means a loss of about£2 million a year to the Exchequer? If this is so, how much longer is Socialist prejudice against the private patient going to stand in the way of urgently needed finance for the National Health Service?
§ Mr. RobinsonI should be delighted to comment, and I will try to do so with restraint. It is nonsense. The reduced 1134 number of pay beds should still be sufficient to meet the current level of demand. Assuming it does not decrease, there should be no change in the revenue on account of the reduction in numbers.
§ Mr. MacdonaldWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that while there is great demand and people are queueing to get into hospital, some people feel astonishment that pay beds continue to exist at all?
§ Mr. DeanWill the Minister give an absolute assurance that he has no intention of denying people the right to spend money on health if they so wish?
§ Mr. RobinsonI have always said that I do not propose to eliminate the facilities for private practice in National Health Service hospitals, but I do not intend to see them prejudice the facilities for nonpaying patients.
§ Mr. MaclennanWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that any loss which may occur through reduction in the total number of pay beds could be offset by increasing the charges for those remaining?
§ Mr. RobinsonI think that is a self-evident fact.