§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what cost elements are included and excluded, respectively, in determining the charges for private beds in National Health Service hospitals; to what extent in respect of each element the cost involved is covered; and what increase there would have to be so that all costs were fully covered.
§ Dr. OwenThe charges for private beds in NHS hospitals consist of two elements—a contribution towards the capital cost of providing the hospital facilities for resident patients and the revenue cost of providing hospital services for them. The charges were revised from 1st April 1974 as required by the statute to cover the revenue costs of providing the services, and at the same time the capital cost element for private patients in teaching hospitals and hospitals other than
460Win May for each of the years shown; a comparable breakdown for all the payments in each year is not available. Since earnings-related supplement cannot be paid unless there is also entitlement to flat-rate benefit, it has been assumed that item (b) of the hon. Lady's Question refers to people receiving earnings-related supplement with flat-rate unemployment benefit.
long-stay and psychiatric hospitals was raised from £3 a week to £10.50 a week. My right hon. Friend will shortly be reviewing the levels of charges to operate from 1st April 1975 to 31st March 1976 to cover all the relevant costs.