HC Deb 09 December 1997 vol 302 c536W
21. Mr. Fraser

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to address the additional burden placed on the National Health Service arising from elderly persons cancelling their private health insurance. [18250]

Mr. Boateng

In allocating resources to the National Health Service there is no account taken of the incidence of private medical insurance. Health authorities are charged with assessing the total health needs of their local population and do so based on clinical need and not ability to pay.