§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to health authorities as to whether circumcision operations can be undertaken without charge by the national health service on the basis of parental choice rather than medical necessity.
§ Mr. DorrellThis is a matter for local decision but in general only those operations which are deemed to be clinically necessary are performed without charge by the national health service.
Total NHS (England) spending and HCHS spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. £ billion GDP(A) Total HCHS gross expenditure Total NHS gross expenditure as a percentage of GDP expenditure Total HCHS gross expenditure Total HCHS gross expenditure as a percentage of GDP 1974–75 89.400 3.426 3.8 2.596 2.9 1975–76 111.200 4.511 4.1 3.409 3.1 1976–77 130.100 5.149 4.0 3.874 3.0 1977–78 151.400 5.689 3.8 4.251 2.8 1978–79 173.800 6.525 3.8 4.888 2.8 1979–80 208.600 7.755 3.7 5.800 2.8 1980–81 237.800 10.103 4.2 7.653 3.2 1981–82 260.900 11.329 4.3 8–506 3.3 1982–83 285.700 12.353 4.3 9.140 3.2 1983–84 309.800 13.113 4.2 9.607 3.1 1984–85 331.900 14.102 4.2 10.203 3.1 1985–86 363.100 14.923 4.1 11.112 3.1 1986–87 390.800 16.060 4.1 11.954 3.1 1987–88 432.900 17.659 4.1 13.146 3.0 1988–89 482.900 19.606 4.1 14.546 3.0 1989–90 523.000 21.139 4.0 15.744 3.0 1990–91 558.000 23.718 4.3 17.750 3.2 1991–92 604.000 26.428 4.3 19.916 3.3 HCHS figures from 1985–86 onwards are not comparable with those for the earlier years as they have been adjusted to reflect the new definition of HCHS expenditure to be used in the forthcoming departmental report. i.e. they include family health services administration, disablement services authority and family health services cash-limited spending.