HC Deb 15 January 1971 vol 809 cc140-1W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give, for each of the calendar months of 1970, the monies spent on the National Health Service, the total staffs employed and the number of new hospitals commenced and completed; and to what extent wage and salary costs rose during the same stated monthly dates due to increases in the number of staffs employed or to adjustments in actual salary and wage scales.

Mr. Alison

I regret that complete information is not available. The following figures show, for England, the total estimated monthly expenditure on central administration, the Hospital etc. Services, the Executive Council Services and the Miscellaneous Health and Welfare Services from October, 1969, to September, 1970. (No comparable figures are available for Local Health Services):

£million
October, 1969 83
November, 1969 89
December, 1969 112
January, 1969 90
February, 1970 94
March, 1970 115
April, 1970 101
May, 1970 107
June, 1970 118
July, 1970 117
August, 1970 101
September, 1970 124
Total 1,251

No monthly staff figures are available but the numbers of staff directly employed, excluding those employed by local health authorities, at the beginning and end of the above period were 534,390 and 544,519 respectively. Details of wage and salary costs etc. are not available for these dates but it is estimated that in 1970–71 they will be approximately £105 million more than in 1969–70 and that of this amount about £96 million will be attributable to wage and salary awards including increased rates for national insurance.

The numbers of additional, replacement or virtually reconstructed hospitals which began or completed construction

Number of
Month and year Hospitals commenced Hospitals completed Major intermediate phases commenced Major intermediate phases completed
October, 1969 … … … … — — 1 —
November, 1969 … … … 1 1 2 1
December, 1969 … … … 1 — 1 2
January, 1970 … … … … 1 — 1 1
February, 1970 … … … … — — 1 1
March, 1970 … … … … 1 — 3 1
April, 1970 … … … … — 1 — —
May, 1970 … … … … — 1 1 2
June, 1970 … … … … — 1 1 2
July, 1970 … … … … — — 3 3
August, 1970 … … … … — — 1 2
September, 1970 … … … 1 — 2 1
Total … … … … 5 4 17 16