I make no apologies for returning to government spending on health.
The Tory promise in the election to ring-fence health spending and increase it in real terms every year even during a period of public spending cuts was distinctive and much-touted during the 2010 election campaign.
A quick recap: during my extended interview with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley which went out live on the BBC News Channel on Sunday evening, I suggested that higher inflation than anticipated when the health spending promise was given would make it more difficult to meet the Tory promise of real annual rises.
Indeed I put to him a projection for real health spending which showed it would decline. Mr Lansley disputed these figures and said that, because of an earlier underspend, health spending would still rise in real terms despite the higher inflation.
I said I would post my figures on my blog, which
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