§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of expenditure on health education; and what it was in 1979.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIt is not possible to calculate overall expenditure on health education because so much health service activity includes both explicit and implicit health education whose costs cannot be separately identified.
The allocation made to the Health Education Authority for health education in England for 1992–93 is nearly £34 million. In 1979–80 the expenditure on health education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Health Education Council was £4.5 million.
The Department also provides funding under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to a large number of voluntary bodies, many of which undertake health education as part of their overall role.