§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his policy on use of National Health Service pay beds in the light of the report, a copy of which has been sent to him, entitled "Laing's Review of Private Health Care."
§ Mr. MellorPolicy remains unchanged on NHS pay beds authorisation, which is made only when a demand is demonstrated, and after wide local consultation. Pay beds are not reserved for the exclusive use of private patients.
Until the introduction of the Health and Medicines Act, charges for private patients were set at a level sufficient to recover the full cost of treatment. The Act allows charges to be set at commercial rates to increase income available to health authorities for further improving the health service.
Year (a) England (b) Scotland (c) Wales (d) Northern Ireland MP's Average electors per MP MP's Average electors per MP MP's Average electors per MP MP's Average electors per MP 1959 511 57,345 71 48,081 36 50,158 12 72,895 1960 511 57,565 71 48,093 36 50,105 12 73,350 1961 511 57,670 71 47,922 36 50,049 12 73,346 1962 511 57,905 71 47,946 36 50,125 12 73,641 1963 511 58,092 71 47,857 36 50,095 12 74,041 1964 511 58,326 71 47,794 36 50,153 12 74,254 1965 511 58,759 71 47,745 36 50,367 12 74,952 1966 511 59,072 71 47,686 36 50,460 12 75,553 1967 511 59,278 71 47,523 36 50,489 12 75,820 1968 511 59,825 71 47,717 36 50,769 12 76,406 1969 511 60,311 71 47,865 36 51,176 12 77,212 19701 511 64,502 71 51,537 36 54,767 12 85,435 1971 511 64,943 71 51,905 36 55,280 12 86,150 1972 511 65,199 71 51,986 36 55,483 12 86,134 1973 511 65,387 71 51,946 36 55,715 12 86,003 1974 516 64,908 71 52,178 36 56,021 12 86,824 1975 516 65,418 71 52,581 36 56,471 12 86,760 1976 516 65,753 71 53,017 36 56,846 12 86,103 1977 516 66,056 71 53,336 36 57,088 12 86,076 1978 516 66,434 71 53,649 36 57,362 12 86,142 1979 516 67,076 71 54,043 36 57,883 12 86,709