HC Deb 21 January 2002 vol 378 c682W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments his Department has carried out in the last two years into the relative costs of medical interventions in the UK public and private health systems; if he will publish the results; if he will summarise the key conclusions; and if he will make a statement. [26911]

Mr. Hutton

The Department has recently conducted a survey of health authorities, primary care trusts and acute trusts on the levels of activity being commissioned in the private sector and the accompanying costs. The survey returns from the national health service are being validated and analysed. We expect to be able to share key findings shortly.

The Department does not collect information about the cost of medical interventions in private hospitals for non-NHS patients.