§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the gross cost of the National Health Service in 308W each year from 1948 to the latest available year; what was the cost as a proportion of the national income during the same year; and if he will project similar figures for three years ahead.
§ Sir K. JosephGross expenditure on health and welfare services in Great Britain—health and personal social services from 1971–72—and the proportions of gross national product at factor cost were as follows:
Gross expenditure on health and welfare services Proportion of Gross National Product at factor cost (£ million) (per cent.) 1949–50 455 4.0* 1950–51 489 4.1* 1951–52 501 3.8* 1952–53 564 3.9* 1953–54 545 3.6* 1954–55 573 3.5* 1955–56 640 3.7 1956–57 720 3.8 1957–58 755 3.8 1958–59 803 3.9 1959–60 864 3.9 1960–61 961 4.1 1961–62 1,006 4.1 1962–63 1,060 4.1 1963–64 1,147 4.1 1964–65 1,254 4.2 1965–66 1,389 4.3 1966–67 1,520 4.5 1967–68 1,669 4.7 1968–69 1,793 4.8 1969–70 1,952 4.9 1970–71 2,269 5.1 1971–72 2,684 5.4 Projections of expenditure as a proportion of gross national product for years ahead are not available * Approximate figure.