HC Deb 08 May 1991 vol 190 cc494-5W
Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of expenditure on(a) the national health service, (b) the health and community health services current budget and (c) the family health service current budget, adjusted for changes in input unit costs, in each year since 1970–71.

Mr. Dorrell

The table gives HCHS current, FHS current and total NHS expenditure adjusted for changes in input unit costs in each year since 1974–75. This information measures changes in total inputs at constant factor cost, but ignores the continuing success of national health service management in increasing the efficiency with which it uses resources.

£ million adjusted to 1990–91 base
Year HCHS current FHS current NHS total
A B A B
1974–75 12,594 —. 3,591 18,045
1975–76 12,807 3,712 18,447
1976–77 12,846 3,890 18,617
1977–78 13,235 4,054 18,889
1978–79 13,873 4,206 19,606
1979–80 13,736 4,178 19,418
1980–81 14,116 4,285 19,966
1981–82 14,403 4,464 20,635
1982–83 14,567 4,776 21,107

Year HCHS current FHS current NHS total
A B A B
1983–84 14,587 4,882 21,361
1984–85 14,570 5,005 21,650
1985–86 14,945 14,598 4,817 5,023 21,778
1986–87 15,032 4,924 22,048
1987–88 15,307 5,094 22,468
1988–89 15,364 5,252 22,678
1989–90 15,379 5,234 22,851
1990–91 16,110 5,300 23,718

Because of transfers between programmes, consistent information for earlier years is not available. HCHS and FHS figures in column A are in line with those printed in the departmental report (CM15 13) as they have been adjusted to reflect the transfer to the HCHS of family health service administration, Disablement Services Authority and the family health services cash-limited spending. The figures in column B do not reflect these transfers and are therefore not comparable with those for later years. It is not possible to produce HCHS and FHS current expenditure estimates for years prior to 1985–86 on a basis consistent with the revised definition.