HC Deb 12 December 1958 vol 597 cc125-6W
Dr. D. Johnson

asked the Minister of Health the number of legal actions in which the National Health Service, or any of its employees, have been defendant in each year since the inception of the service; and the total cost to the Exchequer, year by year, in settling such actions, including both those in which judgment has been given and those settled out of court.

Mr. R. Thompson

The only statistics centrally available are the total amounts paid in compensation of all kinds by hospital authorities and Executive Councils in England and Wales, whether or not legal action was involved. These are as follows:

Period ended 31st March, 1949 7,560
Period ended 31st March, 1950 23,636
Period ended 31st March, 1951 38,556
Period ended 31st March, 1952 106,574
Period ended 31st March, 1953 152,590
Period ended 31st March, 1954 159,047
Period ended 31st March, 1955 91,535
Period ended 31st March, 1956 110,321
Period ended 31st March, 1957 116,136
Period ended 31st March, 1958 100,826