To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by his Department to hospitals with regard to charging patients for treatment following road traffic accidents.

The Department issued full guidance to health authorities in 1980 in a Health Notice (HN(80)7), a copy of which is available in the Library, about the basis for recovery charges under the the Road Traffic Act. This is still extant. Health authorities are notified periodically of increases in the charges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total amount charged by each health authority for treatment given to patients following road traffic accidents for each of the last 10 years; and if he will give the comparable figures for NHS trusts.

I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.