HC Deb 04 December 2001 vol 376 cc184-5W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis his Department has calculated the European average for health spending as a percentage of GDP; and what are the relevant figures for each country. [20687]

Mr. Hutton

The European average is calculated using the arithmetic mean of the member countries health expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product. The relevant figures are provided in the table for the most recent data available.

Total expenditure on health
1998 Percentage gross domestic product
Austria 8
Belgium 8.6
Denmark 8.3
Finland 6.9
France 9.3
Germany 10.3
Greece 8.4
Ireland 6.8
Italy 7.7
Luxembourg 6
Netherlands 8.7
Portugal 7.7
Spain 7
Sweden 7.9
United Kingdom 6.8

Source:

Copyright OECD health data 2001

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what figures for expenditure on health care in the UK from different sources his Department bases its figures for health spending as a percentage of GDP. [20688]

Mr. Hutton

Total expenditure on health care in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product is based on the following.

  1. (i) UK gross NHS expenditure in cash terms—based on figures from the Department of Health and the devolved Administrations,
  2. (ii) Private health care expenditure—projections based on data published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and,
  3. (iii) Gross domestic product on a cash basis—provided by Her Majesty's Treasury.