§ Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures for the number of patients on National Health Service waiting lists in the areas covered by (a) the Northumbria regional health authority and (b) the South Tyneside area health authority; and how these figures compare with the figures for each year since 1979–80.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1985, c. 169]: The requested information is given in the
1979* 1980 1981 1982 1983* 1984 Northern Regional Health Authority 47,642 36,470 34,070 34,475 47,566 40,390 South Tyneside District Health Authority† 1,050 709 528 572 828 824 * In general, figures for these years were affected by industrial action in the health service. † South Tyneside Area Health Authority prior to NHS reorganisation in 1982.