§ 242. Mr. MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the figures for expenditure by the South East Thames regional health authority for 1989–90 and 1979–80, indicating what this represents after allowing for inflation; and if he will publish similar figures for the Medway health district.
§ Mr. DorrellThe annual accounts of the South East Thames regional health authority together with those of the district (formerly area) health authorities comprising the South East Thames health region record total revenue expenditure of £471.2 million (cash) for 1979–80 and £1,039.3 million (cash) for 1988–89 (the latest year available). These figures represent an increase in real terms of 17.2 per cent. measured at 1988–89 prices.
Prior to 1 April 1982 the Medway district formed part of a larger area health authority and in such cases district-based figures were not collected centrally. However, the separate annual accounts of the Medway health authority show total revenue expenditure of £36.4 million (cash) for 1982–83 and £61.1 million (cash) for 1988–89 representing an increase in real terms of 24 per cent. (measured at 1988–89 prices) compared with 9.8 per cent. for the region as a whole over the same period.