§ 25. Mr. Priorasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there are only six maternity beds available for the Lowestoft district with a catchment area of 60,000 population, and that this is well below the national average; and whether he will take steps to bring about an improvement.
§ Mr. BraineSeven more beds are being provided at Great Yarmouth General Hospital which also serves this population, making twenty-seven in all. Plans envisage seventy-four eventually.
§ Mr. PriorI thank my hon. Friend for that information. Does he realise that Great Yarmouth is quite a long way from Lowestoft and the communications are bad? Can he hold out any hope of more beds being provided at Lowestoft in the near future?
§ Mr. BraineI note my hon. Friend's vigorous defence of his constituency interests. As he knows, there is long-term provision in the Hospital Plan for more maternity beds at Lowestoft. The plan is not rigid. It is revised from time to time to take account of changing circumstances.