§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was (a) the overall and (b) the per capita spending on health in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and West Germany in 1983; and what percentage of each country's gross domestic product the overall spending represented.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeDifferences between the health care and health financing systems of the countries mentioned means that no precise comparisons can be made. Figures of this sort should not necessarily be taken to represent differences in provision. An OECD report, which is still in preparation, gives the figures from which total health expenditure, total health expenditure per capita and the share of each country's gross domestic product devoted to health expenditure can be calculated as in the table. Information later than 1982 is not available for the United States of America, France and West Germany.
France West Germany United Kingdom United States of America (a) Overall Expenditure on Health Care* £ million £ million £ million £ million 1981 25,700 28,340 15,380 152,770 1982 29,200 29,520 16,390 172,240 1983 — — 18,550 — (b) Total Health Expenditure per capita* £ £ £ £ 1981 480 460 270 670 1982 540 480 290 740 1983 — — 330 — (c) Total Health Expenditure as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 1981 9.0 8.3 6.0 9.8 1982 9.3 8.2 5.9 10.6 1983 — — 6.2 — * Health expenditure figures for France, Germany and the United States of America have been converted to £ sterling using general purchasing power parities. All estimates are quoted to the nearest £10.