§ 15. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated annual cost in recent years to the National Health Service of unpaid bills not met by private patients and others allowed to run private hospital accounts; what steps he is taking to reduce these costs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Crossman:Records of small bills which remain unpaid are not kept centrally. Those over £100 amounted in England to between £6,000 and £7,000 in each of the last three financial years. I have no reason to think that hospital authorities do not make every effort to recover the charges due.