NHS (Drugs Budget)

HC Deb 04 December 1984 vol 69 c162W

Mr. Hunter

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the percentage of the National Health Service budget devoted to drug expenditure in 1983–84, 1973–74, 1963–64, and 1954–55.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The proportion of total National Health Service expenditure attributable to the cost of drugs (excluding the cost of dispensing) was:

	Per cent.
1954–55	9.1
1963–64	9.8
1973–74	8.5
1983–84*	10.9
* Provisional.

Note:

Over the period there were small differences in the way the basic information was assembled.