asked the Minister for Health the percentage contribution by way of rates towards national health charges in (a) the Republic; (b) England and Wales; (c) Scotland; (d) Northern Ireland; and (e) the member countries of the EEC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Health Services.
16.
The approximate figures for the State, England and Northern Ireland are 26 per cent, 7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively. I have not got comparable figures for Scotland and Wales, but it can be taken that they are within the same range as those for England and Northern Ireland.
It is not practicable for me to give comparable percentages for the member countries of the EEC. The figures in the publications of the EEC Commission relate to expenditure on income-maintenance services and medical care together and the preponderant source of finance is contributions by employers and employees. The contribution from taxation, both central and local, towards the cost of all these services ranged in 1968 from 6 per cent in the case of the Netherlands to 28 per cent in the case of Luxembourg. The published figures do not indicate what proportions of these are attributable to local taxation.
Do the EEC countries have taxes equivalent to rates?
I understand the EEC countries have property taxes but a comparison is almost impossible because the range of services provided by insurance varies from country to country and in nearly all the countries there is a heavy subsidy from one source or another to pay for hospital services. I do not think comparisons lead to any useful conclusions.
17.
asked the Minister for Health in respect of (a) England and Wales and (b) the Republic (1) the total annual health expenditure and (2) the sources of such expenditure expressed in percentages under the following headings: (i) exchequer, (ii) rates, (iii) national insurance contributions and (iv) charges to recipients.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I will have a table circulated with the Official Report giving the information requested as respects the State and England. In relation to the interpretation of this, I would remind the Deputy of my statement in my reply to his question of 9th December, 1971, to the effect that fully comparable figures of gross or net health expenditure as between two countries are difficult to compile because of differing interpretations of what items should be included.
Following is the table:
|
Total Expenditure (excluding capital) 1972-2£ million |
Sources of Expenditure |
||||
|
Exchequer |
Rates |
Contributions |
Other sources including charges Percentage |
||
|
Percentage |
Percentage |
Percentage |
|||
|
Ireland |
78 |
66 |
26 |
3 |
5 |
|
England |
1,788 |
77 |
7 |
11 |
5 |
18.
asked the Minister for Health the distribution of health expenditure expressed in percentages in respect of (1) England and Wales and (2) the Republic under the following general headings: (a) hospital services; (b) general medical services; (c) pharmaceutical services; (d) general dental services; (e) ophthalmic services and (f) other services.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I will have a table circulated with the Official Report giving the information requested as respects the State and England.
Following is the table:
Percentage of total expenditure (excluding capital) (1971-2)
|
Ireland |
England |
|
|
Hospital Services |
70 |
62 |
|
General Medical Services (excluding medicines) |
4 |
9 |
|
Pharmaceutical Services |
7 |
11 |
|
General Dental Services |
2 |
5 |
|
Ophthalmic Services |
2 |
|
|
Other Services |
17 |
11 |