HC Deb 25 February 1988 vol 128 cc294-5W
Mr. Conway

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of gross national product the Government now spend on the National Health Service, and what are the latest comparable figures for other EEC Governments.

Mr. Newton

The share of health expenditure in total national spending is conventionally calculated in relation to gross domestic product; that is the market value of all goods and services produced by United Kingdom residents.

In 1986, the latest year for which information is available for the United Kingdom, public expenditure on health was 5.3 per cent. of GDP.

The following table shows public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP in EEC countries in 1985, the latest year for which internationally comparable data are available.

Public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP, 1985
Per cent.
Belgium 5.5
Denmark 5.2
France 6.7
Germany 6.4
Greece 4.1
Ireland 6.9
Italy 5.4
Netherlands 6.5
Portugal 4.1
Spain 4.3
United Kingdom 5.2

Note: Luxembourg is excluded from the table because of reported inconsistencies in the national health accounts.

Source: OECD.

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