§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing, for each of the last five years, the cost to the National Health Service in Scotland of supplying surgical appliances and the revenue received from patients for those appliances.
§ Mr. FairgrieveAvailable information is in the table set out below. The expenditure figures cover the supply of wigs, fabric supports, elastic hosiery, surgical footwear, walking aids and calipers from commercial contractors; they do not include the cost of surgical appliances manufactured and supplied by National Health Service orthotic centres which is not identified separately by health boards.
The income figures cover payments by patients for the supply and repair by
532Wployed or contracted for each gradation of part-time service allowed for by the relevant contracts of employment.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe available information is set out in the table below. It is not possible to identify separately those general medical and general dental practitioners who have less than a full-time commitment.
contractors of appliances of a more expensive kind than normally supplied, charges for appliances lost or damaged, and statutory charges for wigs, fabric supports and elastic hosiery.
SURGICAL APPLIANCES Financial year Expenditure Income £ £ 1974–75 1,041,430 41,610 1975–76 1,364,225 40,675 1976–77 1,669,703 42,825 1977–78 1,944,826 39,362 1978–79 2,127,498 35,087