§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate the annual revenue that would be available to the National Health Service if a charge of £10 per patient per week levied to cover the costs of food and beverage for patients in hospital;
(2) if he will consider introducing subsistence charges in National Health Service hospitals to a maximum of £10 per patient per week with appropriate hardship exemptions; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAs we have said on a number of occasions, the Government have no plans to introduce a board and lodging charge for hospital in-patients. This was reaffirmed on 22 October last by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department when replying on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a question from the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton.)—[Vol. 10, c. 418.]
In the absence of any specific plans for such a charge, I am unable to estimate the net income it would yield since this would be significantly affected by collection and exemption arrangements.