asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their latest estimate of the national annual cost of pathology testing carried outin National Health Service primary care trusts.[HL7442]

The Department of Health does not collect information centrally about the national annual cost of pathology testing carried out in National Health Service primary care trusts (PCTs). However, the total cost of direct access pathology services—that is, pathology services requested by general practitioners for patients in primary care—provided by PCTs in 2004-05, as reported in 2004-05 reference costs, is £2.25 million. The overwhelming majority of pathology tests are carried out in hospitals.