§ Mr. Terry FieldsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantities of voluntarily donated blood have been sold to private medical organisations; what quantities have been sold abroad; what are the amounts of profit accrued from these sales over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleySince 1 April 1984 charges have been made to the private sector to recover the costs to the NHS of collection, processing, handling and transport of blood. No charge is made for the blood itself, and no profit is made on any blood or blood components supplied. The last 12-month period for which complete records are currently held is the 12 months ending 31 December 1988. During that year 75,961 units of blood were issued to non-NHS hospitals. No NHS blood was370W sent abroad during 1988. Blood collected by the NHS would be sent outside the United Kingdom only on humanitarian grounds, in cases of emergency. In such cases, again, no charge would be made for the blood itself.