§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on agency nurses in each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [156701]
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§ Mr. HuttonThey national health service does not separately record the cost of employing agency staff. The figures shown in the table include total cost to the NHS of nurses not directly employed by NHS bodies.
Expenditure by the NHS on non-NHS nurses is shown in the table. The figures include all agency nursing staff and any other staff not directly employed by NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. Information is not yet available for 2003–04.
Expenditure by the NHS on non-NHS nurses £ Amount 1997–98 216,338,567 1998–99 272,225,162 1999–2000 361,656,683 2000–01 435,431,882 2001–02 554,323,821 2002–03 627,889,817 Note: 2002–03 data remains provisional. Source: Annual Financial Returns of NHS Trusts 1997–98 to 2002–03. Annual Financial Returns of Health Authorities 1997–98 to 2001–02. Annual Financial returns of Primary Care Trusts 2000–01 to 2002–03. Annual Financial Returns of Strategic Health Authorities 2002–03.