HC Deb 09 February 1984 vol 53 c751W
Mr. Hordern

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money is spent on health education in schools, and as a whole, as a proportion of total expenditure by his Department on health at the latest convenient date, and in each of the last five years.

Mr. John Patten

Information about expenditure on health education in schools by local education authorities is not available centrally. Health education is provided by the NHS in a variety of ways and it is impossible to estimate total expenditure in this field. However the Health Education Council undertakes national health education programmes on behalf of the Government in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In 1982–83, the latest year for which complete information is available, its expenditure on health education activity specifically for schools was £294,809. Its total Government funding for that year was £8.57 million, of which £7.99 million was England's contribution, whilst total NHS expenditure (England) was £11.3 billion.