§ 1988. Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many radiation machines were within the National Health Service; and at what locations in(a) 1983 and (b)
§ Mr. FreemanInformation in respect of 1983 is not readily available centrally, but at the end of 1988 the number of items of specified radiotherapy machines in major NHS centres in England by region were as follows:
189Wpurchasing and maintaining radiation machines within the National Health Service either by district, region or generally for each year since 1983.
§ Mr. FreemanThe costs of purchase and maintenance of equipment are matters for regional and district health authorities within their overall allocation of resources. Limited information on the cost of X-ray equipment and chemicals purchased and of maintenance contracts for X-ray equipment are set out in the published annual accounts of health authorities, as available in the Library.