§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the level of NHS spending as a share of gross domestic product for each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04; what comparable figures he has for the average of European Union countries; and if he will make a statement. [22272]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 13 December 2001]: The United Kingdom gross cash national health service expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) is set out in the table. The figures for 2001–02 onwards are for planned expenditure.
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NHS Expenditure as a percentage of GDP UK 1990–91 5.2 1991–92 5.6 1992–93 5.9 1993–94 5.8 1994–95 5.9 1995–96 5.8 1996–97 5.7 1997–98 5.6 1998–99 5.6 1999–2000 5.8 2000–01 6.1 2001–02 6.3 2002–03 6.5 2003–04 6.6 The only source of comparable data is published by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development. These data exist only for calendar years, and the latest complete set of data is for 1998. The average public expenditure as a proportion of gross domestic product for all European Union countries is as follows:
Public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP EU average public expenditure 1990 15.8 1991 16.0 1992 16.1 1993 16.2 1994 16.1 1995 6.1 1996 6.1 1997 6.0 1998 5.9 1 There are no data for Belgium in these years Source:
OECD Health Data 2001
Assuming private spending remains at its current level of around 1 per cent, of GDP, total United Kingdom health care expenditure will reach around 7.6 per cent, by 2003–04. This will be a significant step towards reaching the European Union average, which (again, including private spending—around 2 per cent, on average in the EU) has remained around 7.9 to 8 per cent, in recent years.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the percentage of the GNP of the UK that has been spent on the NHS in each of the last five years. [28079]
§ Mr. HuttonThe amount of health care expenditure by the national health service is calculated as a percentage of gross domestic product. The gross NHS expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product is given for financial years in the table.
United kingdom NHS spend Percentage of gross domestic product 1996–97 5.7 1997–98 5.6 1998–99 5.6 1999–2000 5.8 2000–01 6.1