§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail expenditure on the National Health Service in real terms in figures and percentages in 1979 and at the latest date for which statistics are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeExpenditure on the NHS in England expressed in constant 1982–83 prices as measured by the retail prices index was £10,377 million in 1978–79 and £12,134 in 1982–83, the last year for which final figures are available. If measured by the gross domestic product deflator, which takes account of inflation across the whole of the domestic economy, the figure for 1978–79 is £10,465 million. In both cases the increase is around 16 per cent. This demonstrates the high priority which the Government have attached and continue to attach to the NHS.