§ Mr. HurstTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the national health service budget was spent in the last financial year in the private sector in order to treat mental health extra-contractual referrals. [13124]
§ Mr. BoatengThe provisional figure of total expenditure by health authorities, general practitioner fundholders and National Health Service trusts on the purchase of health care from the private sector amounted to £594 million in 1996–97, the latest year available. This cannot be broken down into the type of services purchased from the private sector.