§ Mr. KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the gross domestic product was spent on the National Health Service in each year since 1959.
§ Mr. FreemanThe table shows the percentage of GDP spent on the National Health Service for the years 1959 to 1988. The expenditure figures for 1959 to 1964 have been taken from the report of the Royal Commission on the National Health Service. Figures from 1965 have been derived from the United Kingdom national accounts prepared by the Central Statistical Office.
496W
Gross expenditure on the NHS as a percenlage of GDP Year Per cent. 1959 3.3 1960 3.3 1961 3.4 1962 3.4 1963 3.4 1964 3.4 1965 3.3 1966 3.4 1967 3.6 1968 3.6 1969 3.6 1970 3.8 1971 3.9
Year Per cent. 1972 4.0 1973 3.9 1974 4.8 1975 5.1 1976 5.1 1977 4.9 1978 4.9 1979 4.8 1980 5.3 1981 5.5 1982 5.3 1983 5.5 1984 5.4 1985 5.3 1986 5.3 1987 5.3 1988 5.2