§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for North, Norfolk of 11 April which refers to excessive losses of goods from hospitals, if he will estimate the costs to health authorities of such losses in the last financial year; how the losses compare with similar losses in the previous financial year; and if he will make a statement.
442W
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeDetails of health authorities' losses are included in their annual financial accounts. As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 28 March 1983—[Vol, 40, c.42]—losses from theft, fraud and arson for the financial year 1981–82 totalled £774,240. For the financial year 1980–81 the amount totalled £833,478. Figures for 1982–83 will be available in August 1983. Any estimate would be entirely conjectural.