Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list those clinical goods, other than drugs, purchased on current account at (a) hospital level, (b) area health authority level, (c) regional health authority level and (d) nationally, which have a total value nationally for each article of over £1 million, giving the national expenditure for each category for the latest financial year;
(2) if he will list all goods, other than drugs, purchased on current account for use in National Health Service hospitals on which more than £1 million per annum is spent—or other convenient figure—and which are classed as clinical goods.
§ Sir George YoungI regret that the information requested under (a), (b) and (c) is not readily available. The only relevant item of clinical goods bought by the Department is standard blood sets—and associated items—the value of which was approximately £2,300,000 in 1978.
658WThe Department arranges a number of running contracts for clinical goods for the NHS but purchase under these contracts are made by NHS authorities and the value of such purchases is not readily available.
Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Secretary of State for the Social Services what was the total expenditure on current account in the National Health Service during the most recent financial year on clinical goods, other than drugs, for use in hospitals.
§ Sir George YoungThe total revenue expenditure on purchases of clinical goods for the National Health Service—England — during 1977–78 was £177,154,000.
Mr. Tom Ellisasked the Secretary of State for the Social Services what proportion of clinical goods purchased on current account at National Health Service hospitals are purchased as a result of tendering.
§ Sir George YoungI regret that the information is not readily available.