asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in rank order the percentage of national expenditure spent on health and social security in each of the EEC countries.

I regret that the information in the exact form requested is not available.Certain comparable statistics are contained in the Statistical Office of the European Communities publication "Social Accounts: Accounts of social protection in the EC 1970–1975", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. In using these statistics, I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the reply my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to the hon. Member for Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 18 February.—[Vol. 979, c.