§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Health how far the system of hospital cost accounting in force in England and Wales is strictly comparable with the system in force in Scotland; and what is the difference in cost per week as corn-pared with Scotland, of maintaining a 62W patient in a general hospital in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Iain MacLeodThe two systems of hospital cost accounting differ in several respects. For example, the classification of the hospitals is not the same, and in each hospital, expenditure is analysed and distributed between beds and patients on a different basis. It is therefore impossible to make the comparison, for which my hon. Friend asks, with any accuracy.