§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures showing the sums paid out by his Department in respect of claims for negligent treatment in National Health Service hospitals, including settlements out of court, for the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. EnnalsI regret that these payments are not separately identifiable centrally within the total amounts paid by health authorities by way of compensation under legal obligation in respect of claims of all types, including those for negligent treatment. Those totals, for England only, were as follows:
£ 1971–72 … … … 305,789 1972–73 … … … 291,044 1973–74 … … … 344,733 1974–75 … … … 493,482 1975–76 … … … 726,154