§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the safe limit recommended by her Department for men and women for alcohol use daily and weekly in units; and what plans she has to change these recommended limits. [31351]
§ Mr. BowisThe current sensible drinking message is that drinking less than 21 units per week by men and 14 units per week by women is unlikely to damage health.
810W
Breakdown of total NHS revenue expenditure 1979–80 to 1993–941 Year Percentage Wages2 Percentage Drugs3 Percentage Transport4 5 Percentage Equipment4 6 Percentage Other7 Total revenue expenditure £ million 1979–80 57.7 11.4 - - 31.0 6,925 1980–81 59.2 10.7 - - 30.1 8,864 1981–82 57.9 11.0 - - 31.1 9,891 1982–83 56.6 11.7 0.5 4.8 24.4 10,739 1983–84 56.3 12.3 0.5 4.5 26.5 11,397 1984–85 55.6 12.1 0.4 4.5 27.4 12,191 1985–86 55.5 12.2 0.5 4.6 27.3 12,873 1986–87 55.9 12.3 0.4 4.6 26.8 13,810 1987–88 56.1 12.5 0.4 4.4 26.6 15,162 1988–89 56.5 12.5 0.4 4.2 26.5 17,005 1989–90 56.5 12.9 0.5 4.2 25.9 18,236 1990–91 56.1 12.6 0.5 3.9 26.9 20,102 1991–92 49.9 11.5 0.4 3.7 34.5 25,302 1992–93 48.1 11.5 0.4 3.7 36.4 28,551 1993–94 46.2 12.0 0.4 3.9 37.5 30,364 Source: Annual accounts—1979–80 to 1990–91—and annual financial returns—1991–92 to 1993–94—of regions, districts and special health authorities for the London postgraduate hospitals and family health services authorities, and annual financial returns of NHS trusts—1991–92 to 1993–94. Notes: 1Figures since 1991–92 are not directly comparable with earlier years owing to changes in accounting policy—for example, the introduction of capital charges—as a result of the NHS reforms. 2Gross pay costs of hospital and community health service staff and family health services authority administration staff, including employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions, but excluding remuneration of FHS contractors. 3Drugs are based on the cost of HCHS and family health service drugs and appliances—after deduction of pharmaceutical price regulation scheme receipts, etcetera—and costs met through prescription charges but do not include dispensing fees. 4Not separately identified in financial years 1979–80 to 1981–82 inclusive. 5Transport and moveable plant. 6Including associated maintenance costs. Excludes capital expenditure on items of equipment. 7Including capital charges from 1991–92 inclusive and remuneration of FHS contractors. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. The message is currently being reviewed, in the light of the latest scientific evidence, by the interdepartmental group on sensible drinking.