§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether charges are applied to NHS patients who are(a) referred to private hospitals and (b) treated in European countries; and if he will make a statement on the extent to which the NHS is dependent on foreign and private hospitals. [105950]
§ Mr. HuttonMaking use of spare capacity in the United Kingdom and in Europe can be an effective and appropriate way of increasing capacity available to treat national health service patients. NHS hospital treatment, wherever it is carried out, is provided free at the point of delivery.