§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy that military use of NHS facilities and staff will not be paid for out of the NHS budget.
§ Mr. SackvilleUnder existing arrangements service personnel are able to receive treatment from the national health service. But for most normal peacetime purposes service personnel are treated by defence medical services at the expense of the Defence budget. This will continue under the arrangements proposed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. Any agreed additional costs to the NHS from setting up military district hospital units in NHS hospitals and from treating service patients there will be met from the Defence budget.