§ David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent from central Government funds per capita on health in(a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) the UK for each of the last five years. [155328]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation relating to the per capita expenditure in the East Riding area and England is shown in the table. The information is based on the East Riding and Hull Health Authority area up to 2001–02 and then the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority for 2002–03. Information for the rest of the United Kingdom is a matter for the devolved administrations and the Northern Ireland Office.
1127W2. The health authority and all England expenditure figures are not prepared on a consistent basis as some elements cannot be accounted for at the health authority level. The majority of general dental services expenditure and an element of pharmaceutical services expenditure is included in the England total but not in the individual health authority accounts or primary care trust summarisation schedules. This expenditure is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority respectively.
3. Expenditure is taken from audited health authority summarisation forms and primary care trust summarisation schedules which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total expenditure by the relevant health authorities, and the commissioner costs of the primary care trusts. Figures are given in cash terms.
4. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities and primary care trusts.
5. Figures for 1998–99 to 2001–2002 have been prepared using gross expenditure figures. This is to ensure consistency between years. Figures for 2002–2003 based on strategic health authority areas have been adjusted to eliminate expenditure which would be double counted where an authority acts as a lead in commissioning healthcare or other services.
6. In many health authorities, there are factors which distort the expenditure per head. These include: the health authority acting in a lead capacity to commission healthcare or fund training on behalf of other health bodies; and asset revaluations in NHS Trusts being funded through health authorities or primary care trusts.
7. For these reasons expenditure per head cannot be compared reliably between health authorities or between different years.
Sources:
1. Health authority audited summarisation forms 1998–99 to 2001–02.
2. Strategic health authority audited summarisation forms 2002–03.
3. Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2000–01 to 2002–03.
4. Weighted health authority population figures 1998–99 to 2002–03.