HC Deb 10 November 1989 vol 159 c817W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will arrange for the total per capita spending on the National Health Service in Wales to be increased to the same amount as that of Scotland.

Mr. Grist

Both the health care needs of the population and the cost of providing appropriate services depend on many factors, some of which vary significantly between Wales and Scotland. To provide the same standard of health care does not require the same per capita expenditure in each country therefore, planned spending on the National Health Service in Wales in 1989–90 is £1,382.8 million (gross) which includes £10 million to fund the review body pay awards which were announced in February 1989 and £5 million additional provision towards the cost of implementing the NHS review. We are now spending over £37 per week per household on the National Health Service compared with £11 per week per household in 1978–79.