§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has estimated the percentage change required in National Health Service expenditure to (a) take account of the increased proportion of elderly in the population and (b) keep up with improvements in medical techniques; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayMy Department estimated that for Scotland as a whole the cash provision made for current expenditure on the hospitals and community health services programme within the NHS in 1982–83 required to be increased by 0.5 per cent, over the previous year's level in order to meet demand for health services from the rising proportion of elderly people in the population; and to be increased by a further 0.5 per cent, to meet the cost of introducing advances in medical techniques.