§ Mr. StephenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how spending on health and community health services(a) for elderly people and (b) for mentally ill people has changed since 1979.
§ Mr. YeoAvailable data are given in the table. Estimated spending on services for elderly people does not include spending on the acute hospital services which are used by people in all age groups including elderly people.
Estimated Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) spending on services for elderly people and for mentally ill people 1979–80 and 1990–91. Spending(£ million cash) Real terms increase 1 1979–80 1990–91 (per cent.) Services for elderly people 651 1,927.6 36.5 Services for mentally ill people 592.8 1,763.5 37.1 Total HCHS expenditure (excluding joint finance) 5,309.5 14,745.8 28.0 1 After allowing for changes in general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.