§ 69. Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of gross domestic product National Health Service expenditure currently represents; and what comparable information he has for France, West Germany and Italy.
§ Mr. NewtonIn 1984 (the latest year for which comparable figures are available), public spending on health care as a percentage of gross domestic product was as follows:
Percentage United Kingdom 5.3 France 6.5 Germany 6.4 Italy 6.1 These figures relate to financial inputs. It is more difficult to compare outputs, but, as medical costs are known to vary greatly between different countries, it is likely that the value obtained from public spending on health care also varies. Medical costs are relatively low in the United Kingdom.