§ 39. Mr. Cyril D. TownsendTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost per day of a patient's meals in hospital; what was the comparable figure for each of the last two financial years; and how much Bexley health authority is spending per patient per day at the present time.
552W
§ Mr. FreemanIt is for individual health authorities to determine how much they will spend per day on feeding patients. Information on health authorities' catering costs is not collected in-year. The following information is derived from annual financial returns submitted to the Department:
Total cost of meals per patient day1 1987–88 £ (Cash) 1988–89 £ (Cash) Bexley Health Authority Bexley Hospital 2.87 3.47 Queen Mary's Hospital 4.25 3.22 England Average for hospitals 3.45 —2 1 Catering costs include provisions, labour and energy 2 Not yet available.