MONMOUTH MP David Davies has accused the Welsh Government of misleading the public over cuts to the health budget.
Mr Davies has produced figures showing NHS spending in Wales is going down, despite receiving an assurance from the Health Minister that there have been no cuts at all.
Details of past and planned NHS expenditure in England and Wales prove there will be a real terms cut of 5.1 per cent in Wales over the period 2008/09 to 2014/15, compared to an increase of 7.4 per cent in England.
The figures were requested by Mr Davies from the House of Commons Library, which offers an entirely impartial research service and is not controlled by any of the political parties.
“There have been a lot of stories about cuts to the NHS in Wales and we have seen evidence of this in longer waiting lists and poor ambulance provision,” said Mr Davies.
“When I wrote to the Health Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM, I received an entirely misleading response claiming there were to be no cuts. Yet I have produced figures to the contrary.
“The Welsh Government is maintaining investment in cash terms but not in real terms, so it will not keep up with inflation. It’s a play on words. The budget is being cut!
“The sad reality is we no longer have a National Health Service for Britain, but a series of regional health services where different rules apply. The NHS in Wales is entirely separate and controlled by the Welsh Government. Since devolution, we have faced growing waiting lists, less access to life-prolonging cancer drugs and poorer ambulance response times. Patients living in border areas such as Monmouth who would find it more convenient to be treated in English hospitals are often refused this right.
“Over the past few months there have been concerns about the way the English NHS is run, but the real concern should be about Wales where funding is being cut at a time when standards are already poorer.
“I have published the figures on my website and hope that everyone who believes in the NHS in Wales will have a look at them, make the comparison with England, then write to the Welsh Health Minister and demand an explanation.”
You asked for details of NHS expenditure in England and Wales over the past three years and planned expenditure over the next three years.
The table below uses shows figures for the three years preceding the current 2011/12 financial year and for three forthcoming years. The figures include both resource and capital DEL (Departmental Expenditure Limits). Please note that figures for Wales combine published details for NHS delivery and public health expenditure – this is to make the figures comparable to expenditure plans for England (which do not separate out public health spending).
NHS expenditure for England and Wales 2008/09 to 2014/15
England
Wales
Cash prices (£billion)
2010/11 prices (£billion)
Real terms % change
Cash prices (£billion)
2010/11 prices (£billion)
Real terms % change
2008/09
outturn
92.38
96.59
outturn
5.55
5.80
2009/10
outturn
99.79
102.49
6.1%
outturn
5.92
6.08
4.9%
2010/11
outturn
101.99
101.99
-0.5%
plans
6.07
6.07
-0.2%
2011/12
plans
105.00
102.74
0.7%
plans
6.03
5.90
-2.8%
2012/13
plans
108.80
103.66
0.9%
plans
6.09
5.80
-1.6%
2013/14
plans
111.40
103.55
-0.1%
plans
6.08
5.65
-2.6%
2014/15
plans
114.40
103.74
0.2%
plans
6.07
5.50
-2.6%
Real terms change 2008/09 to 2014/15
7.4%
-5.1%
Note: Real terms series calculated using HMT GDP deflators as consistent with 21 March Budget report
Sources: England - Outturn data from HM Treasury Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis, Plans from March 2012 Budget. Wales- Outturn data from HM Treasury Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis, Plans from Welsh Government Supplementary Budgets 2010/11 and 2011/12 and Welsh Government Final Budget 2012/13