§ Lord McColl of Dulwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the needs element for healthcare in (a) the Barnett formula; and (b) the formula which will replace the Barnett formula; and
How the Barnett formula was used to determine health care expenditure in the constituent parts of the United Kingdom; and how recent changes to the formula will impact on the resourcing of health care in each of the four countries over the next three years.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Government set out their view on the Barnett Formula in the Scottish and Welsh White Papers.
There is no healthcare allowance in the formula.
The Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have discretion to deploy resources between programmes in the light of local priorities within the block budgets, including changes to spending plans determined by applying the Barnett formula. Details of current and planned spending on health in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are published in the relevant departmental reports.