§ Mr. KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the gross national product was spent on the national health service in each of the last 25 years.
§ Mr. DorrellThe table shows the percentage of gross domestic product spent on the NHS. GDP has been used in this presentation rather than gross national product for the sake of consistency with other sources of information on public spending such as the autumn statement and the Budget report.
591W
Total Government expenditure on health as a proportion of GDP Percentage 1966 3.39 1967 3.56 1968 3.56 1969 3.55 1970 3.73 1971 3.81 1972 3.93 1973 3.85 1974 4.70 1975 5.07 1976 5.07 1977 4.88 1978 4.86 1979 4.77 1980 5.16 1981 5.39 1982 5.19 1983 5.38 1984 5.32 1985 5.19
Percentage 1986 5.19 1987 5.17 1988 5.14 1989 5.13 1990 5.22 It is estimated that in 1991–92 Government expenditure on health as a proportion of GDP will be 5.7 per cent.