§ Mr. Montgomeryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on National Health Service expenditure and on the outcome of the study of sources of finance for health care.
§ Mr. FowlerBetween 1978–79 and 1981–82 the Government provided for increases in National Health Service services of 5 per cent. There should be some further growth in services this year. The Government have no plans to change the present system of financing the National Health Service largely from taxation, and will continue to review the scope for introducing more cost-consciousness and consumer choice and for increasing private provision which is already expanding.