§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will carry out a study to determine the influence that private practice in the same unit or specialty has on the waiting list and waiting time for treatment in the NHS.
§ Mr. RichardsI have no plans at present for such study.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will implement a system which will routinely gather and analyse out-patient waiting time data in the NHS.
§ Mr. RichardsThis already exists. The NHS provides information on a quarterly basis about the number of people waiting more than six months and one year for a first out-patient appointment, and this is published regularly by the Welsh Office.