Written question asked by Bob Spink (Conservative) on Tuesday, 8 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 22 January 2002. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 January 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the NHS prosthetics expenditure in the last financial year for which records are available per amputee; and what proportion of this expenditure was used on (a) administration, (b) prosthetics staff and (c) prosthetics. - Including figures.

Answer: Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the NHS prosthetics expenditure in the last financial year for which records are available per amputee; and what proportion of this expenditure was used on (a) administration, (b) prosthetics staff and (c) prosthetics. [26587] Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect information on the financial expenditure on each individual amputee. Expenditure is decided at a local health authority and national health service trust level. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency estimate that some £23 million including value added tax was spent on prosthetic service contracts and a further £13 million including VAT was spent on prosthetic limb hardware and associated items during 1999-2000.

Secondary information