§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to encourage people to take out private health insurance.
§ Dr. VaughanPrivate health insurance, by enabling individuals to make fuller use of private health facilities, can ease the pressure on National Health Service resources. The new consultants contract which allows all consultants to engage in private practice, the proposed end to the compulsory phasing-out of pay392W beds, together with other proposals for improving collaboration between services in the public and private sectors will increase the opportunities for private practice for those who wish to make use of them whether through private medical insurance or otherwise.
I have no immediate proposals for action specifically related to private medical insurance but I was pleased to see the increase in the numbers of those covered by private medical insurance shown in the figures published recently by the major medical insurance groups, and hope that this trend will continue.