HC Deb 08 July 1980 vol 988 c146W
Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the proportion of gross domestic product spent on health in the last recorded year in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy as compared with Great Britain.

Dr. Vaughan

Expenditure on health care is not recorded on the same basis in all countries, which means that there are serious difficulties in making international comparisons which are meaningful. The best figures available are those produced in 1977 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), giving health provision at current market prices in 1974 (or near date) and referring to current expenditure only. Total expenditure on this basis (that is, public and private combined) on health provision as a percentage of "trend" gross domestic product—that is, GDP adjusted to avoid the influence of business fluctuations—in the countries requested is as follows:

Country Total expenditure as percentage of "trend" GDP
Germany 6.7
France 6.9
Netherlands (1972) 7.3
Italy 6.0
United Kingdom (1975) 5.2

Source: "Public Expenditure on Health", OECD, 1977. I regret that more recent reliable information is not available; I am advised that the OECD is in the course of updating its study, with the co-operation of member states.