§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost of installing and maintaining for 12 months, in a sick person's home, a machine for giving a permanent supply of oxygen.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe only detailed cost information available to the Department on the use of such machines is contained in the recent report of the pilot study of oxygen concentrators, a copy of which is in the Library. It shows that the annual cost of providing oxygen therapy depends on the volume of oxygen used, the internal lay-out of the home, make of concentrator used and the servicing arrangements made locally. The study does not provide a basis for calculating a single average figure.