HC Deb 03 November 2003 vol 412 c514W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the cost of clinical negligence claims in the NHS for each year since 1997. [134397]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The National Audit Office (NAO) summarised accounts for the national health service (England), show expenditure for claims and associated costs for clinical negligence for each year since 1997 to be as shown in the table.

£millions
Amount
1996–97 235
1997–98 144
1998–99 221
1999–2000 373
2000–01 415
2001–02 446

Changes to accounting policies imposed by the NAO over the years mean that the expenditure amounts are not directly comparable.