§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the administrative costs incurred by(a) NHS purchasers and (b) NHS providers in each region in each year since 1990–91. [29095]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIn Scotland the equivalent to regional health authorities are health boards. The information shown in the table has been given for each board area and has been taken from the annual accounts for each health board and NHS trust.
The figures in the table represent the total administrative costs for purchasers and providers, comprising administrative salaries and wages, supplies and services, office expenses and agency services. The format of the accounts for 1990–91 does not allow for a split between the purchaser and provider functions. Figures for 1994–95 are not yet available.
The administration figures for providers include senior nurses and clinicians who have transferred to the general/senior managers' pay scales, particularly in latter years. These changes, together with accounting policy changes and transfer of provider functions to NHS trusts since 1992–93, mean that the annual figures are not comparable.