§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of Scottish gross domestic product is spent on health in Scotland; and if he will publish what information he has on the proportion of gross domestic product spent on health in (i) England, (ii) EEC member states, (iii) Norway, (iv) Sweden, (v) Denmark and (vi) Finland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe gross NHS expenditure on health services in Scotland in the year 1984 represented 8.2 per cent. of gross domestic product calculated at factor cost. The comparable figure for England was 6.2 per cent. These figures exaggerate, however, the difference in health expenditure levels in the two countries because they omit private sector expenditure on health and because gross domestic product per head of population is larger in England.
These figures are not comparable, however, with the normally-quoted international comparisons which are calculated on a different basis. In addition, different countries have different systems of providing and 154W financing health care, and different procedures for classifying and accounting for the expenditure. Subject to these substantial qualifications, the calculations by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of the proportion of gross domestic product at market prices spent on all health care in the various countries listed in 1984 are as follows:
Percentage Belgium 6.2 Denmark 6.3 France 9.1 Germany 8.1 Greece 4.6 Ireland 8.0 Italy 7.2 Luxembourg 6.4 Netherlands 8.6 Portugal 5.5 Spain 5.8 United Kingdom 5.9 Finland 6.6 Norway 6.3 Sweden 9.4