§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total 364W expenditure on health, in the latest available year, for each of the following: the United Kingdom, other EEC countries, the United States of America, Canada and Australia, expressed both in expenditure per head and as a percentage of gross national product.
§ Dr. VaughanExpenditure on health care is not recorded on a strictly comparable basis in the national accounts of all countries. There are, therefore, serious difficulties in expressing such expenditure, either in absolute terms or as a percentage of national income, in order to allow meaningful comparisons. The best figures at present available are those produced recently by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, giving expenditure on health provision at current market prices in 1974 (or new date). The figures refer to current expenditure only. Total expenditure—that is, public and private combined—on health provision per head and as a percentage of "trend" gross domestic product—that is, GDP adjusted to avoid influence of business fluctuations—in the EEC countries, the United States of America, Canada and Australia is as follows:
Country Expenditure per head* Total expenditure as Percentage of "trends" GDP £ Australia (1974–75) 187 6.2 Belgium 117 5.0 Canada (1973) 151 6.8 Denmark 172† 6.5† France 149 6.9 Germany 183 6.7 Ireland (1975) 76 6.2 Italy 72 6.0 Luxembourg 110 4.0 Netherlands (1972) 102 7.3 UK (1975) 98 5.2 USA 216 7.4 * Expenditure per head calculated from expenditure in local currency, converted to £ sterling according to the average exchange rate for the year in question. † Public expenditure only.
§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total expenditure on health, expressed as a percentage of gross national product, for each year from 1963 to date.
§ Dr. VaughanTotal NHS expenditure, expressed as a percentage of gross 365W national product at factor cost, for the years 1963 to 1977 is as follows:
1963 3.79 1964 3.82 1965 4.03 1966 4.18 1967 4.41 1968 4.49 1969 4.44 1970 4.60 1971 4.62 1972 4.77 1973 4.62 1974 5.25 1975 5.68 1976 5.63 1977 5.57 Source: National Income and Expenditure (Blue Book), 1976–77 and earlier years, CSO.