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National Health Service

Volume 35: debated on Monday 17 January 1983

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asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of Scotland's gross domestic product is spent on the National Health Service; and how this compares with other European Economic Community countries, Japan, Canada and the United States of America.

Expenditure on the National Health Service in Scotland in 1980–81 accounted for approximately 6·8 per cent. of Scotland's gross domestic product.Reliable comparisons of the share of national income spent on health services cannot be made because of considerable differences between the systems of health care provided and the different ways in which spending on health is shown in national accounts. Such comparisons do not take account of differences in value for money. Subject to these substantial qualifications, figures calculated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for 1980 or the nearest available year for expenditure on all health care are as follows:

Percentage
Belgium6·0
Denmark6·7
Federal Republic of Germany8·0
France8·0
Greece3·8
Ireland8·4
Italy6·5
Luxembourg10·5
Netherlands8·5
Japan6·2
Canada9·6
United States of America9·6
Perinatal, neonatal and infant deaths, Scotland, 1981
Perinatal deaths*Neonatal deathsInfant deaths
Area and Social Class
Leg.Illeg.Leg.Illeg.Leg.Illeg.
Scotlandnumbers
I382241372
II11056821043
III(NM)7128413826
III(M)2721415152368
IV11441721512118
V598356627
N.S.46150391
All social classes66414439282645135
Scotlandrates
I8·05·17·8
II10·07·96·29·5
III(NM)9·412·85·510·92·8

These figures may be subject to further revision.