§ 2. Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people treated in hospitals during the winter for injuries caused through falls on snow and ice.
§ The Minister for Health (Mr. Kenneth Clarke)There is not sufficient information available on which such an estimate could be based.
§ Mr. JannerI commiserate with the Minister on his first appearance in his new capactity. Will he take steps to ensure that some information is made available? Meanwhile, does he recognise that thousands of people throughout the country suffered as a result of unnecessary falls on uncleared side roads? Will he see whether resources can be made available to make provision for the unseasonable weather that is a certainty in our climate?
§ Mr. ClarkeI do not think that the information will be of much value to hospitals. I realise that a poblem is caused when there is a bad winter and that that puts an added strain on orthopaedic departments in hospitals. Questions about the clearing of roads are, of course, the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.