§ 2. Mrs. Shirley Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the total expenditure on the National Health Service was spent on hospitals, general practice and community health services, respectively, in 1970–71; and whether he intends to alter these proportions in 1971–72 or 1972–73.
§ Sir K. JosephBriefly, expenditure on hospitals will increase from 60.5 per cent. of the total expenditure on the health and welfare programme in 1970–71 to 62.7 per cent. of the expenditure in 1972–73. Expenditure on family practitioner services will change from 21.9 per cent. to 19.6 per cent.—an increase in the service, but including an increase in charges—and expenditure on community health and welfare services from 13.7 per cent. to 15.2 per cent. over the same period.
I have arranged for full details to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mrs. WilliamsI thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply. Does he agree that the increase in community health and welfare services is such that it would be very difficult to put much greater reliance on those services in the next few years and that, consequently, many people would be left in institutions who,
| HEALTH AND WELFARE PROGRAMME (GREAT BRITAIN)—CALCULATED FROM TABLE 2.16 OF THE WHITE PAPER ON PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, 1969–70 TO 1974–75 (CMND 4578) | ||||||
| £million | ||||||
| At 1970 Survey prices | 1970–71 | 1971–72 | 1972–73 | |||
| HOSPITALS | Estimate | Estimate | Estimate | |||
| Capital expenditure | … | … | … | 139.8 | 159.3 | 172.8 |
| Current expenditure | … | … | … | 1,075.9 | 1,119.7 | 1,162.3 |
| Total | … | … | … | 1,215.7 | 1,279.0 | 1,335.1 |
| (60.5 per cent) | (62.1per cent.) | (62.7 per cent.) | ||||
| FAMILY PRACTITIONER SERVICES | ||||||
| Capital expenditure* | … | … | … | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Current expenditure | … | … | … | 438.5 | 424.7 | 418.0 |
| Total | … | … | … | 439.1 | 424.9 | 418.1 |
| (21.9 per cent.) | (20.6 per cent.) | (19.6 per cent.) | ||||
| COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELFARE SERVICES | ||||||
| Capital expenditure* | … | … | … | 38.0 | 46.6 | 52.0 |
| Current expenditure | … | … | … | 221.2 | 239.1 | 255.6 |
| Selective employment tax paid by Local Authorities | … | … | … | 16.0 | 16.3 | 16.6 |
| Total | … | … | … | 275.2 | 302.0 | 324.2 |
| (13.7 per cent.) | (14.6 per cent.) | (15.2 per cent.) | ||||
| OTHER CENTRAL SERVICES AND GRANTS, DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION | ||||||
| Capital expenditure | … | … | … | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| Current expenditure | … | … | … | 34.1 | 36.4 | 38.7 |
| Welfare Foods | ||||||
| Current expenditure | … | … | … | 41.4 | 15.3 | 10.5 |
| Total | … | … | … | 79.5 | 55.9 | 53.3 |
| (3.9 per cent.) | (2.7 per cent.) | (2.5 per cent.) | ||||
| Total expenditure on Health and Welfare | 2,009.5 | 2,061.8 | 2,130.7 | |||
| (100.0 per cent.) | (100.0 per cent.) | (100.0 per cent.) | ||||
| As is indicated in the White Paper, the above figures do not include expenditure on child care in England and Wales or on social work in Scotland. | ||||||
| * Capital expenditure on health centres is included under "Community Health and Welfare services". |
§ strictly speaking, should be returned to the community?
§ Sir K. JosephBy any ideal standards, the hon. Lady's observations are absolutely correct. We have a long way to go to get the balance right. But she should not underestimate the differential increases which are occurring over the next two years in community health and welfare services, which will increase by just on 18 per cent., while expenditure on hospital services will increase by just on 10 per cent.
§ Mr. PavittWill the right hon. Gentleman look at the content of the 19 per cent. for general practitioner services, in view of the fact that about 8 per cent. is for general medical services and nearly 12 per cent. for pharmaceutical services? Should there not be a change in that balance?
§ Sir K. JosephI will examine what the hon. Gentleman said.
§ Following is the information: