§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of gross national product was devoted to expenditure on the National Health Service in each year since 1981; what equivalent information he has about other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries; and to what factors he attributes any difference between the figures for the United Kingdom and the average for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
§ Mr. Hayhoe[pursuant to his reply, 24 June 1986, c. 154]: The table shows public expenditure on health in member states of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development expressed as a percentage share of gross domestic product for the period 1981 to 1983, the latest year for which OECD information is available. (Figures showing the share of gross national product are not readily available from other OECD countries.) Comparisons are affected by different definitions as to what constitutes health care, the proportion of total costs borne by patients as charges (excluded from the figures) or other payments; and the balance between private and public health care in each country. They are also affected by the relative costs of health care. It is widely recognised internationally that the National Health Service provides very good value for money.
581W
Total public expenditure on health as a percentage of gross domestic product 1981 1982 1983 1984 United Kingdom 5.4 5.2 5.4 5.4 Australia 4.7 4.8 4.9 — Austria 4.7 4.7 4.6 — Belgium 5.7 5.8 6.0 — Canada 5.5 6.1 6.2 — Denmark 5.8 5.9 5.6 — Finland 5.1 5.2 5.2 — France 6.4 6.6 6.6 — Germany 6.7 6.6 — —
1981 1982 1983 1984 Greece 3.8 3.4 — — Iceland 6.6 6.6 — — Ireland 7.9 7.7 7.5 — Italy 5.9 6.1 6.2 — Japan 4.6 4.8 5.0 — Netherlands 6.6 6.9 6.9 — New Zealand 4.7 5.1 5.3 — Norway 6.6 6.6 6.2 — Portugal 4.3 4.0 3.9 — Spain 4.4 4.6 4.4 — Sweden 8.8 8.9 8.8 — United States 4.1 4.5 4.5 — OECD Average* 5.7 5.8 5.8 — * Average excludes Portugal