§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the most recent figures for the distribution of health expenditure for each English region, expressed in per capita terms and categorised according to (a) hospital services expenditure, (b) community health and family practitioners' services expenditure and (c) total expenditure.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe figures for 1982–83 are
count of beds and therefore do not take into account the occupation of beds by day case admissions who do not stay overnight.
325W
National Health Service hospitals in England Region Average daily number of unoccupied beds during 1982 (provisional) Northern 5,440 Yorkshire 6,060 Trent 6,670 East Anglia 2,720 North West Thames 4,540 North East Thames 5,090 South East Thames 5,130 South West Thames 3,590 Wessex 3,840 Oxford 2,740 South Western 4,690 West Midlands 7,130 Mersey 3,670 North Western 6,090 Boards of Governors and Special Health Authorities 820 England 68,220
April 1979 April 1980 April 1981 April 1982 Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Nurses and midwives 1.2 (40) 0.2 (40) 1.7 (*) 0.4 (*) 1.3(37½) 0.3(37½) 1.3(37½) 0.3(37½) Ancillary staff 6.1 (40) 1.3 (40) 6.6 (40) 1.3 (40) 5.5 (40) 1.3 (40) 5.1 (40) 1.1 (40) Administrative and clerical staff 1.8(37½) 0.3(37½) 1.2(37½) 0.3(37½) 0.6(37½) 0.2(37½) 0.6(37½) 0.2(37½) * In course of reduction from 40 to 37½ hours per week. Because these are based on limited estimates and surveys only, it would be of little value to attempt to give my hon. Friend a cash figure for the years in question. I believe that the quality of information available to our Department and to Health Authorities on this subject is now in the process of improving.