HC Deb 16 February 1998 vol 306 cc492-3W
Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what proportions spending on the NHS has in real terms grown in each year and on average per year during each Parliament since 1968; and what was the overall annual average. [28809]

Mr. Milburn

The information requested is set out in the table. Information on National Health Service total spending prior to 1973–74 is not available as the data are not comparable with those for subsequent years.

Year NHS total netexpenditurepercentage realterms growth1 NHS total grossexpenditurepercentage real terms growth1
1973–74 2.9 2.9
1974–75 11.2 10.5
1975–76 5.4 5.2
1976–77 0.5 0.4
1977–78 -2.8 -2.7
1978–79 1.6 3.2
1979–80 1.7 1.8
1980–81 10.1 10.1
1981–82 2.0 2.2
1982–83 1.6 1.8
1983–84 1.0 1.5
1984–85 2.2 2.4
1985–86 0.2 0.2
1986–87 3.9 4.4
1987–88 4.3 4.5
1988–89 3.5 4.2
1989–90 0.8 0.7
1990–91 4.1 3.6
1991–92 6.7 6.4
1992–93 5.9 5.2
1993–94 0.6 0.6
1994–95 4.1 3.6
1995–96 1.7 1.9
1996–97 0.6 0.9
Parliamentary Term Net annual average increase percentage Gross annual average increase percentage
1974–75 to 1978–793 3.1 3.2
1979–80 to 1982–834 3.8 3.9
1983–84 to 1986–875 1.8 2.1
1987–88 to 1991–926 3.9 3.9
1992–93 to 1996–977 2.5 2.4
1 Using the Gross Domestic Product deflator of 26 November 1997.
2 The Parliamentary term was from October 1974 to April 1979, for the purposes of this analysis the financial years 1974–75 to 1978–79 have been used.
3 The Parliamentary terms was from May 1979 to May 1983, for the purposes of this analysis the financial years 1979–80 to 1982–83 have been used.
4 The Parliamentary term was from June 1983 to May 1987, for the purposes of this analysis the financial years 1983–84 to 1986–87 have been used.
5 The Parliamentary terms was from June 1987 to March 1992, for the purposes of this analysis the financial years 1987–88 to 1991–92 have been used.
6 The Parliamentary terms was from April 1992 to May 1997, for the purposes of this analysis the financial years 1992–93 to 1996–97 have been used.
Annual average real terms growth Net percentage real terms growth Gross percentage real terms growth
1997–74 to 1997–98 3.0 3.0

Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to announce the restoration of real terms increases of NHS funding to the average over the past three decades. [28813]

Mr. Milburn

We have increased the National Health Service spending plans inherited from the previous administration by almost £1.5 billion. We shall announce plans for future years in due course.

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