Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Tuesday 12th July 2011 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

1. What arrangements are in place to ensure increased funding for the NHS during the comprehensive spending review period.

[The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley)]

We will increase NHS funding in real terms in each year of this Parliament. Compared to the level of expenditure in the national health service in the last financial year, the resources available to the NHS will increase by £12.5 billion by the end of the spending review period. The budget available for the NHS in the financial year 2011-12 is 3.9% higher than spend in the previous year, 2010-11.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Can my right hon. Friend give me any examples of how the increased funding this Government have promised here in England is, unlike what is happening in Wales, delivering better care for our NHS services?

[Mr Lansley]

Yes, I can indeed do that. We are committed to real-terms increases in the NHS budget in England. According to an analysis by the King’s Fund, the Welsh Assembly Government—a Labour-led Welsh Government —are going to reduce the NHS budget by 8.3% in real terms by 2013-14 in comparison with 2010-11. That might be one reason why it is already the case that in Wales, 26.4% of patients in April 2011 waited more than 18 weeks for treatment.