§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many private beds there have been in National Health Service hospitals in each year since 1979; and what has been the average daily occupancy in each year.
§ Mr. John MacKay:Private beds are available for NHS patients when not occupied by private patients, but the figures for this use are not separately recorded. The figures which follow therefore record only use by private patients.
Year Total number of paybeds Percentage occupancy rate 1979 114 23.3 1980 94 24.6 1981 94 26.2