HC Deb 13 February 2004 vol 418 c271W
Mr. Hurst

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the national health service resulting from clinical negligence was in each year from 1990 to 2002. [156016]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The total cost of medical negligence in each year since 1996, as prepared by the National Audit Office and presented in the National Health Service Summarised Accounts for England, is in the table. Information for the period 1990 to 1995 was not collected centrally.

£ millions
In year expenditure
1996–97 £235
1997–98 £144
1998–99 £221
1999–2000 £373
2000–01 £415
2001–02 £446
Note:
Changes to accounting policies imposed by Her Majesty's Treasury over the years mean that these amounts are not directly comparable.