§ Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those district health authorities which installed specialist equipment, systems and procedures to prevent fraudulent overseas telephone calls.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe do not collect detailed local information of this sort centrally.
§ Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those district health authorities which have disciplined or reprimanded staff fraudulently using National Health Service telephones for overseas personal calls.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe do not collect this information centrally and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the cost of overseas telephone calls made from National Health Service telephones for the year ended 31 March 1983; and if he will disaggregate these data by country of destination of call;
(2) what was the total cost of telephone calls in the National Health Service for the year ended 31 March 1983.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe cost of telephone calls (inland or overseas) is not separately identified in the annual accounts of health authorities in England submitted to the Department. Their accounts for 1982–83 show the following information which may be helpful:
£ million Telephone—rental charges 33.8 Telephone—other charges including calls 31.0 These figures exclude the expenses of the Prescription Pricing Authority and the Dental Estimates Board.