§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates he has as to the number and percentage of operations which are cancelled due to the absence of the consultant surgeon; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieThis information is not held centrally. Following implementation of the recommendations of the health services information steering group, information is now, for the first time, to be collected centrally on the availability and use of operating theatres, including the number of sessions cancelled during the year (but not the reason for those cancellations). Information for 1987–88 is exepected to be available later this year.