§ Mr. WEBBasked the Minister of Health whether he can state approxi- 1162W mately, for the latest date for which statistics or estimates are available, the total number of hospitals maintained by the local sanitary authorities in England and Wales; the total number of their beds, of their medical and nursing staffs, and of the patients treated during the year; and the estimated total annual charge for this service on the local rates?
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN:At the present time there are approximately 1, 100 hospitals with about 44, 000 beds maintained by the local sanitary authorities in England and Wales for the treatment of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis. I have no complete information as to the total medical and nursing staffs of these hospitals, nor as to the number of patients treated therein. The expenditure falling on the rates in respect of this service, including the estimated proportion of the net cost of the tuberculosis scheme, was approximately £3, 631, 000 in 1922-23, the last year for which complete figures are available.