§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate, on the basis of the latest figures available, the average cost to public funds of a normal birth at(a) hospital and (b) home.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe estimated gross current health and personal social services expenditure per birth in 1985–86 was around £1,220. Separate costs for a normal birth at(a) home and (b) hospital are not available although we expect information about the average costs for all hospital births and home births will become available in 1989.