§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will make a statement on the availability of suitable non-isotopic diagnostic procedures within the National Health Service in the light of the general trend away from radioactive testing in Europe and North America;
(2) what funds have been made available to enable the National Health Service to purchase diagnostic kits which will facilitate the withdrawal from radioisotopic testing and its replacement by modern diagnostic procedures which create no radiation or disposal hazards.
§ Mr. HayhoeIt is for health authorities themselves to make decisions about the deployment of resources and the purchase of the most suitable products to meet their needs. I am not aware of any evidence to suggest that these decisions are not well informed and based on developments in practice.