HC Deb 23 February 1995 vol 255 cc327-8W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total actual expenditure on national health service administration for each year since 1979, in 1994 prices; and if she will provide a breakdown to show annual expenditure on central health and miscellaneous services.

Mr. Malone

[holding answer 6 February 1995]The annual expenditure on national health service administration for each year since 1979–80 at 1993–94 prices and rounded to the nearest £ million, was: £752 million, £785 million, £744 million, £712 million, £706 million, £713 million, £730 million, £764 million, £806 million, £820 million, £899 million, £1,059 million, £907 million, £992 million and £1,136 million, provisional, for 1993–94, the last year for which figures are available. The figures represent the total revenue expenditure on pay and accommodation costs of staff of all disciplines and their support staff employed at headquarters levels in regional health authorities, district health authorities, special health authorities, family health services authorities/family practitioner committees, the Dental Practice Board, and the Prescription Pricing Authority. They exclude administrative support in hospital departments and at other local levels which is regarded as operational expenditure. RHA, DHA and SHA costs are reported in the accounts as "Authority administration and purchasing expenses". This includes capital charges from 1991–92. FHSA/FPC administration costs are those reported in the annual accounts as revenue administration costs and represent that part of the total expenditure which is not medical, dental, ophthalmic or pharmaceutical. Changes over the years in the roles and responsibilities of FPCs—which became FHSAs in 1990—RHAs and DHAs—which started to transfer provider functions to NHS trusts in 1991–92—together with changes in accounting policies—particularly the inclusion of capital charges in health authorities' administration and purchasing expenditure—mean that the figures are not comparable.

For information on central health and miscellaneous services expenditure, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 20 February, Official Report, columns 28–29.